Koi Ponds, Koalas, and Playing Dumb
by Gemna
Summary: A public declaration of love, and everything that follows it.
1. Chapter 1

**Koi Ponds, Koalas and Playing Dumb**

**1**

Minako didn't seem to notice Rei's approach as she sat, staring intently at the lively koi pond. Surrounded by blossoms and greenery, the pond was well-hidden in the Shrine's sizeable garden. Rei had sensed her before seeing her.

The idol held a hand above the water, waving it from side to side. As Rei moved slowly closer, she watched the rippling surface. Directly beneath Minako's hand, a mottled orange and white fish swam back and forth, following her movements.

Minako giggled softly and wiggled her fingers.

"Are you teaching him to dance?" Rei couldn't keep quiet any longer.

Obviously startled, Minako looked up, beaming when she saw Rei. "He's very good. I think I'll bring him on tour with me."

Rei knelt beside Minako and gazed at the swirling fish. "I never thought I'd see the day when I'd be jealous of koi."

"Why, Rei, if you wanted to be part of my dance troupe, all you had to do was ask." Minako grinned at Rei's indignant glare.

"Not what I meant, and you know it." She took Minako's free hand in her own, enjoying the feel of the soft skin while she still could. "I thought you were headed to the airport?"

Minako was about to embark on a three month-long tour of Australia. Rei knew she was going to miss her terribly, especially after the memorable farewell they had shared at Minako's apartment the previous night. She felt her cheeks grow hot at the memory of the idol's body entwining with hers. The tender words they'd exchanged. Among other things.

Minako rested her head against Rei's shoulder. "I wanted to see you one more time before I left. But the fish sidetracked me. They're pretty."

"Again, I say, I never thought I'd be jealous of koi." She squeezed Minako's hand and pulled her to her feet. "I think it's time to separate the two of you. C'mon."

Minako pouted, but waved cheerfully to the residents of the pond, and let Rei lead her to a nearby stone bench.

"How much time do you have?" Rei asked when they'd sat down. "I don't want to make you late."

"It's fine. My driver races on his days off." Minako waved away the question, smirking. Rei sputtered with amusement.

The idol's expression turned suddenly shy. "I actually came by hoping you might come to the airport with me."

"Oh! I—I thought that we—"

Minako reached up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind Rei's ear. "I know. We said goodbye last night. Away from prying eyes and flashing cameras."

"Good thing," Rei murmured, imagining the headlines the farewell they'd shared would have ignited. Not that such a thing would have happened at the airport, but— She blushed and looked at Minako. The idol was biting her lip.

"If you don't want to—"

"No, no, Mina, I do, it's just—" Rei paused, rather surprised by Minako's request. She was so fiercely protective of her private life—especially where it concerned her relationship with Rei. "What if there're cameras? Your secret will be out—"

Minako shook her head. "Rei, the thing is—I don't want to hide it anymore." She took Rei's hands. "I don't care if the whole world knows I love you."

Rei was stunned. She had known for awhile how Minako felt about her, but it was so rare to hear her say it out loud—

"Let's go," Rei said.

~O~O~O~O~

Minako hadn't been kidding when she said her driver raced cars in his spare time, if the trip to the airport was any indication.

"Maybe you should skip the flight and just drive to Australia," Rei commented during the ride.

"We probably would make better time," Minako replied. "But there's the small matter of the Pacific, you see."

They traipsed quickly through the airport towards customs while Minako's driver saw to her luggage. Shacho flitted around, begging the clerks to use utmost care with his things.

Rei couldn't help noticing that a few people stared in their direction. Was it the sight of Aino Minako that grabbed their attention or the fact that her hand was clasping Rei's as they walked?

Perhaps it was both.

Rei had known the moment was inevitable. She had come to the realization a long time before now that she didn't mind who knew, but out of respect for Minako's wishes, she had kept their relationship quiet. Their closest friends had been told, with the promise that severe violence would pay them a swift visit if they shared it with a soul.

But now— she stole a glance at the idol. Minako's face looked quite determined, albeit slightly anxious, especially as a knot of curious people began to drift in their direction. Her bodyguards shifted their collective stance, shielding the two women as best they could.

At the gate, Minako halted and faced Rei, shifting her small carry-on bag.

"I guess this is it, Reiko." She clutched Rei's hand tightly in her own. She was trembling.

"Guess so. You have the mangas?" Rei had brought a few of her favourites over to Minako's the night before, to give her something to do besides work during the flight.

Minako nodded, her eyes darting in the direction of the crowd. A camera flashed.

"Hey," Rei murmured. "I can just hug you, if you like—I'm only a friend for all they know—"

Minako's eyes reconnected with Rei's, looking fierce. The idol's free hand rose to stroke Rei's cheek. A few gasps came from the group of observers.

"I told you before, Reiko," she leaned towards Rei. "I don't want to hide this anymore."

Their lips met in a gentle, sincere kiss. It felt like their first all over again, Rei marvelled, remembering how nervous she'd been that time as well. She slipped her free arm around Minako's waist and drew her lover close.

After a few moments, they reluctantly parted. "I'll call," Minako whispered, her eyes shining.

"I'll miss you," Rei said, trying not to tear up herself. Minako would never let her hear the end of it if she did.

They stood, still holding hands, memorizing each other, as though they could forget. Minako sighed shakily. "I'd better go before they take off without me."

Rei giggled softly. "They wouldn't dare." She gave Minako's hand another squeeze and slowly released it.

The idol gave her a watery smile and turned to head through the gate. Suddenly Rei remembered something important.

"Minako!"

She turned, her expression curious.

"I-I love you too."

Minako's mouth opened in surprise before it was replaced with a glowing smile. She flung her arms around Rei in a tight hug.

"Aino-san, we really need to go."

Rei would have cheerfully kicked the bodyguard, but for the fact that she might have broken her foot if she did.

Sighing, Minako released Rei.

"You make it really hard to leave, Reiko."

"Oh, sure, blame me."

"You should come visit—"

"Aino-san!"

Minako huffed in exasperation and began walking backwards through the gate, keeping her eyes locked with Rei's. As her bodyguards followed, Minako winked, blew Rei a kiss, and was gone.

~O~O~O~O~

Minako's driver had been given instructions to drive Rei home from the airport, an offer which Rei was glad to accept when people's wide-eyed stares and mutterings followed her the entire way to the exit. Before he'd even put the key into the ignition, Rei was quick to let him know that she wasn't in a hurry to get back. She had no wish to repeat the heart stopping drive they'd experienced on the ride in. He had laughed good-naturedly and assured Rei that he would behave.

"Although, Aino-san usually requests that I drive quickly. Even when she's not running late. Still, I thought Shacho was going to explode when she requested the stop at Hikawa earlier," he'd added.

Rei grinned, remembering the conversation as she walked up the shrine's steps. She tried to ignore the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was going to be a long three months.

Her phone buzzed suddenly. Rei hurriedly flipped it open without checking the display.

"Minako?"

"Rei-chan! You and Minako-chan are on the news! Did you know?"

Rei grimaced. Word certainly traveled fast. "No, but I figured it was a matter of time, Usagi."

"Hmph. You two are so mean—threatening me if I didn't keep quiet, and then people take pictures of you kissing in the middle of the airport!"

Rei was tempted to dash to her computer and take a look at the images in question. Perhaps print one off... She snorted with laughter, momentarily forgetting that she was talking to Usagi.

"Rei-chan! Don't laugh! You made me fear for my life! I thought you didn't want people to know!"

"Sorry, Usagi." Rei made her way towards a bench and sat down. Even short conversations with Usagi could be long. "Minako decided she didn't want to keep things secret anymore. The press was bound to find out sooner or later. I guess she wanted it to be on her terms."

"Ohh, I see. I bet you miss her already."

Rei swallowed. That was a massive understatement. "A bit."

"You should come out for ice cream with us tonight! There's a new parlour that lets you make your own flavour!"

"Sure," Rei agreed, thinking it might take her mind off of Minako's absence. It would be good to see her friends.

She half-listened as Usagi went on, listing the various flavours she was going to try mixing together once they got to the ice cream parlour.

"Maybe I could mix chocolate, strawberry and vanilla together, Rei-chan! Mmm, that would be amazing!"

"I think that flavour already exists, Usagi." Rei grinned to herself, remembering a time that she had paid Minako a visit with a pint of that very flavour. "And it is definitely...amazing." She had to clap her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling into the receiver. The last thing she wanted to do was explain the joke to Usagi.

"Hmm. That's no good. I want to make something new! But I should go, Rei-chan! I promised Mako-chan and Ami-chan I would call them back after I talked to you."

Rei sighed. She had a fair idea as to _why_ Usagi had made such a promise. "S'pose I'd better get used to it," she muttered.

"What'd you say, Rei-chan?"

"Nothing. I'll see you guys tonight, okay?"

"Bye, Rei-chan!" Usagi's phone clicked off. Rei flipped hers shut and slipped it back into her pocket. She made a mental note to dress inconspicuously when she went out later. Perhaps she could borrow one of Minako's hats. It was highly likely that Rei had one someplace, as the idol frequently forgot the odd possession during her visits. Rei suspected that she did it deliberately, so that she had an excuse to drop by more often.

The corners of her eyes began to sting.

She glanced up at the sound of gentle splashing. Without meaning to, she had returned to the koi pond.

Standing up from the bench, she made her way to the pond's edge, and sat down, bringing her knees to her chest. The same mottled fish bobbed its head to the surface and swam towards her.

"She's not here, sorry." Rei held her hand over the water, the same way Minako had done earlier, and moved it slowly around. The empty feeling finally overpowered Rei when the fish began to dance. She rested her forehead on her knees and let her tears fall.

o~o~o~o

_Chapter 2 next week!_

_Author notes: The time Rei showed up at Minako's with the strawberry/chocolate/vanilla (also called Neapolitan) ice cream can be read in full in my oneshot, _Power Outages and Popsicles_. That's right, I'm using my own stories to shamelessly plug my own stories._

_Thanks for reading!_


	2. Chapter 2

2

Minako's heart still hadn't stopped pounding long after she had boarded the plane. Hearing those words from Rei, her sweet, shy, and stubborn Rei—in front of a crowd of people, no less—had set off a whole host of emotions in the idol, and she found herself wishing that the plane would turn around and take her back home.

A pleasurable shudder ran through her at the thought of what would take place when she next saw Rei. It was the only thing Minako enjoyed about being separated from Rei over a period of time: the reunions. She shivered again, thinking of their last night together. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel Rei's mouth trailing soft kisses along her skin, hands caressing her, bringing her closer—

"Minako-chan, are you even listening to me?"

She opened her eyes and glared at her manager, finally understanding the meaning of justifiable homicide.

"What, Shacho?"

Something of her murderous feelings must have shown in her gaze, since her manager visibly flinched.

"I-I just wanted to run through the itinerary again—"

Minako sighed. "For God's sake, Shacho, it's an eight hour flight! We're not even meeting up with the organizers at the venue until tomorrow, and I _know_ the itinerary inside down and upside out. I have seen it, I have read it, I can recite it for you in French, even! I haven't quite mastered it in Swahili yet, but then, I haven't had time to practice with _someone_ constantly babbling it at me in Japanese!" She waved down a stewardess and requested some water. "Sorry."

Surprisingly, Shacho looked sympathetic rather than terrified.

"You miss her already. I know. I thought that going through the itinerary might distract you for awhile." Shacho shrugged and leaned back in his seat. "You were very brave, doing that, Minako-chan. I'm proud of you."

"No long-winded diatribes on how I've ruined my career?"

Shacho gave her a stern look. "When have I ever been long-winded? You wound me with your accusations!"

Minako tried to hide her laughter behind a false coughing fit.

"I'd be lying if I said there aren't going to be some repercussions," he went on. "It's the way of the world, sadly. But at the same time, this is going to make some people love you even more. Aino Minako is not only talented and beautiful, but she's courageous too! And after all," Shacho winked cheekily, "Publicity is publicity."

Minako felt a warm rush of affection for her manager.

"Let's go over the itinerary again," she said.

Shacho looked elated.

~O~O~O~O~

Hours later, Shacho had dozed off in his seat, snoring loudly. Minako had worn him out, trying to teach him to recite the itinerary in English but with an Australian accent. It didn't help matters any that he had to keep vying for Minako's attention as her mind continually wandered back to Rei.

Ignoring the rumbling sounds coming from her manager, Minako reached into her carry on bag and pulled out the small stack of mangas Rei had given her. A sealed envelope fell into her lap as she opened one of the books. She smiled widely when she recognized the handwriting that adorned it, and hurriedly pulled out the letter inside.

_Dear Minako,_

_ The next three months are going to seem like an eternity without you here. _

_To say that I'm going to miss you doesn't even begin to express how I feel at the thought of you leaving. There are no words that can describe the sensation of falling asleep thinking of you, dreaming of you, then waking up to think of you first, but knowing that I won't see you lying beside me, my arms empty... _

_ No words. In any language. _

_ Please don't work too hard while you're away. If you come home sick, I'm going to be very upset. Illness would put somewhat of a damper on my plans for your return. Either way you'll be confined to bed, I suppose, but I know which way you'd prefer. I certainly know which way I'd prefer._

Minako grew steadily warmer as she read.

_Australia has no idea how lucky it is. Don't let it keep you forever. Come home safely._

_ I love you, Mina._

_ Rei_

_PS - No, you cannot bring back a koala. No matter how adorable it is._

Minako hurriedly wiped at her eyes, amused by the post script. She wondered how Rei would feel about a kangaroo instead, and giggled as she tucked the letter into her jacket.

Finally feeling somewhat relaxed, Minako leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. They did not open again until the captain's voice announced that they were beginning the descent into Sydney International Airport.

~O~O~O~O~

Rei slowly climbed a certain tree that grew close to the Shrine, and stepped onto the tiled roof when she reached the top. She made her way to the peak and sat, gazing up. There were a few clouds obscuring some of the stars, but the moon was full and bright.

The evening with her friends had been quite entertaining. When they weren't discussing the plans for Makoto's upcoming wedding in Hawaii, Usagi delighted in continually waving her phone in Rei's face, showing several different images of the now famous embrace. Rei pretended to be disgruntled by it, grumbling that her friend was being too loud, but secretly she planned to take a better look at the photos the moment she got home.

No one seemed to recognize her, which was a huge relief. In fairness, much of her face was obscured by a baseball cap—unsurprisingly, she had found one of Minako's hats under the dresser—but she was still keen to avoid mobs like the one at the airport.

She had, however, received a phone call from her father's secretary, saying that the Senator wanted to meet with her as soon as was possible. Rei informed her that she would gladly meet with him, but he would have to call her personally and arrange the meeting if he wanted to see her so much. She was amazed to feel her phone buzzing five minutes later with a call from her father. He'd sounded aggravated, but that was nothing new. She had a funny feeling that she knew exactly why he wanted to see her so suddenly.

Rei smirked. She needed to bring Minako to that ice cream parlour when she returned. She looked forward to seeing the idol's delight at being able to create her own ice cream flavour—even though she'd probably combine flavours Rei hated and then force her to try it.

She sighed again at the thought of Minako, and wondered if she had found the note tucked inside the stack of mangas. Rei blushed when she remembered the letter. She didn't consider herself to be terribly skilled with words, and so had scrawled it out, stuffed it into the envelope and sealed it before she could reconsider her decision.

She felt her phone buzz. The name on the display cheered her immensely.

"Hi, Beautiful." Rei grinned at the sound of Minako's soft giggling.

"Hi, you. I got your note. I—don't have any words either."

It took Rei a moment to realize what she meant. She barely remembered what she had written, only that she meant it completely.

"Oh. M-Minako, I—"

"Have you seen the news? Our kiss is now quite famous."

"Erm, Usagi showed me a few pictures earlier."

Minako laughed, and listened as Rei told her about her evening with their friends. The idol wasted no time in telling Rei that they were going to the new ice cream parlour the minute she got back, after Rei had described it.

"—I'm still worried someone will recognize me sooner or later. I wonder how you do it sometimes," Rei said later, and noticed that she was still wearing Minako's hat. She had a feeling it might become part of her regular wardrobe while the idol was away.

"It's a gift. Really, though, I have a trick I use on occasion. It works more often than it doesn't. Just play dumb, Reiko. Shouldn't be too hard for you, right?"

"Hmph. You're lucky I love you, Minako."

There was silence on the other end.

"Minako?"

"...I love you too, Rei."

Rei was certain that she was moments away from melting.

A few more minutes passed, then they bid each other a reluctant good night.

Once she'd put her phone away, Rei turned and stared up at the moon, and wondered if Minako could see it too.

~O~O~O~O~

Minako flipped her cell phone shut. Resting her arms against the rail of her suite's balcony, she gazed at the full moon.

It was going to be a very long three months, she thought with a sigh. 

~o~o~o~

**Chapter 3 Next Week!**

_**Author notes**_: A wedding in Hawaii? Could that possibly be the beach where _Would You Refuse Me_ takes place? I think I think it could.

...Okay, I'm shameless, I admit it.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

It was three weeks before Rei's father was able to meet up with her. He had been out of the country when he'd first had his secretary call, and was unable to cut his trip any shorter. Rei was privately grateful, given the probable cause for his sudden urge to see her. He might have had some time to cool down.

"I don't understand why you always want to meet here, of all places," he grumbled when he spotted his daughter approaching Risa Hino's tombstone.

"It's been awhile since I've visited her," Rei said, kneeling to place the red rose she'd brought for her mother. She apologized silently for her absence. "I've been busy."

"You have indeed." His tone was grim. "I'm not sure what's worse. The kind of relationship you're in, or who it's with."

Rei felt a flare of anger. "Don't you dare talk like that about Minako, Papa."

The Senator held up his hands to placate his daughter. "Rei, I didn't mean it like that. Just—of all people—Aino Minako!" He sounded almost awed. "People are going to want to know who you are—and when they find out—"

"—They'll hear the name Hino, and start to ask questions. I know. You're one of the reasons we decided to keep it quiet for so long."

Her father was bewildered. "Just—how long _has_ this been going on, exactly?"

Rei thought back to her first meeting with Minako, at that very church, and everything that had followed through the years. She smiled.

"For...awhile."

He crossed his arms. "I'm still not certain I approve. These kinds of relationships—"

"Tell the press whatever you want. If someone calls you a raging hypocrite just point out that you had very little to do with my upbringing." Rei smirked when his eyes narrowed.

"My own daughter is more ruthless than most of my opponents." Her father gave her an appraising look and sighed. "I suppose there's nothing I can say to dissuade you."

Rei shook her head. "I love her, Papa."

The Senator gazed at her imperiously for a moment before he uncrossed his arms and gave a terse nod.

"I—I should be going. Shrine errands." Rei turned to leave.

"Rei?"

"Yes, Papa?" She looked back and wondered why her father's face was so red.

"C-could you get me her signature?"

It took all of Rei's self control to hold in the sudden wave of mirth that was fighting to escape her.

"Play your cards right, Papa, and I just might introduce you." She quickly departed the churchyard. When she was certain that she was out of earshot, she doubled over laughing.

~O~O~O~O~

The buzzing of Minako's cell phone awoke her from the light doze she had slipped into. She was delighted when she saw who the text message was from.

_I had an interesting meeting with the Senator today_, it read.

Minako smirked, began to write a reply, then halted. She wanted to hear Rei's voice.

"So what's this about a meet up with one of Japan's highest-ranking politicians?" she asked when Rei picked up.

"Hello to you, too, Mina." She was sure she could hear Rei grinning. "You have another fan." Rei proceeded to tell her about the conversation in the churchyard. By the end, Minako was certain she had cracked a rib or two from laughing so hard.

"I'll have to send him a signed CD. D'you suppose he has my latest?"

"I'm going to say it's highly likely."

Minako giggled again, and looked up as Shacho knocked and poked his head into her room.

"Minako-chan? We've been invited out for some lunch. Will you grace us with your presence?"

"Just a sec, Shacho." Minako gestured to her phone.

"Don't be too long. Tell your beloved I said hi." Shacho winked and flounced out. Minako's cheeks grew warm.

"You need to head off?" Rei asked.

"Afraid so. Apparently I need food to live. Also, tip for the day: if anyone ever offers you vegemite, run for your life." Minako nearly gagged at the thought of her recent experience with the foul substance. Shacho had tricked her into trying it, insisting it tasted just like peanut butter. For revenge, Minako had slipped a generous amount of the stuff into his coffee when his back was turned. She was quick to duck when he finally took a sip.

"Actually, I love that stuff," Rei said.

"Are—are you serious?"

Rei snickered. "Nope. Never tried it. Don't think I will, now."

Shacho was hollering her name again. Minako sighed. "I have to go. We'll talk later, okay?"

"Okay, love. We should get the others to try vegemite when you come home."

Minako cackled evilly. "It's no wonder I fell so hard for you. Bye, Reiko."

"Miss you, Mina."

Rubbing her tired eyes, Minako got to her feet. "Still over two months," she mumbled dejectedly, and toyed with the possibility of just having ice cream for lunch.

~O~O~O~O~

Rei was conscious of a group of uniform-clad girls whispering near her as she browsed the bookstore shelves, looking for something new to read. She snuck a surreptitious look at them when she picked up a random title, pretending to scan the summary. They were holding an open magazine and looking rapidly from it to Rei.

Uh oh. She quickly put the book aside and made to leave.

"E-excuse me, M-Miss?"

Rei groaned inwardly. One of the girls stepped forward, clutching the magazine. "Is—is this _you_ with Aino Minako?"

Play dumb, Minako had said. Rei tried to force her expression into a politely puzzled one as she contemplated the photo. There were several different images, including some that looked like airport security footage. Thanks to Usagi, Rei had seen most of them already.

"You really think that woman looks like me?" She cocked her head to the side. "I'm flattered that you'd say so, but no."

The girls looked doubtful. One of them peered at the photo again. "You're wearing the same shirt, though."

Rei blinked. "B-blue _is_ a popular colour these days. It's just a coincidence."

Several pairs of eyes were narrowing in suspicion. She decided to make one last attempt and then bolt, whatever the outcome.

"L-look, you can believe whatever you want, but that—that is not me, girls. Please excuse me." She strode calmly from the shop and broke into a run the moment it was out of sight. She came to a halt in front of an electronics store several blocks away, realizing too late what was playing on the screen. A few people who were window shopping nearby stared at her. As recognition began dawning in their eyes, Rei took off like a shot, not even bothering to try playing dumb again.

When were people going to get over it? It had been nearly two months! She thanked her lucky stars that no one had learned her name yet, or the Shrine would have been overrun with press and visitors. It was just a matter of time though, she was sure. And then what?

Rei had no idea. The prospect was beginning to frighten her a little. She pushed the thoughts away. She'd deal with the consequences when they came.

Finally running out of breath as she reached the Shrine, she traipsed slowly up the steps, and was at the koi pond before realizing it was her intended destination. She plunked herself down at the edge, panting softly.

She had been spending a lot of time beside the pond since Minako had left for Australia. The sight of the brightly-coloured fish was strangely calming. Rei had taken to bringing them the odd treat. On those occasions they _all_ danced. Minako would have quite a troupe waiting for her when she came back.

Rei sighed, thinking again of the people who had recognized her. She couldn't believe she had been foolish enough to go out in the same clothes she'd worn that day at the airport. She'd have to make the t-shirt part of her nightwear, she supposed, and wrapped her arms around her knees. She wished Minako was with her.

"Hino-san?" Rei glanced up and was surprised to see one of her father's aides standing there.

Rei got to her feet. "Can I help you with something?"

The man bowed. "Your father sent me to deliver this. He regrets that he cannot be here in person to give it to you himself." He handed Rei a large envelope, bowed again and hurried off.

Confused, Rei tore open the seal and scanned the contents. Completely taken aback, she rummaged in her pocket for her cell phone.

"Hi, Shacho? It's Rei. I hope I'm not interrupting anything, but I need to ask you for a favour."

As she explained the situation to Minako's manager, she made a mental note that the next meeting with her father would take place wherever and whenever he desired.

O~O~O~O

_Author notes: To my Australian readers, I sincerely hope I have not offended you with Minako's anti-vegemite ways. She loves her Australian fans to bits though, as you will see in the next chapter! _

_See you next week! - __**G**_


	4. Chapter 4

4

Minako lounged on her suite's comfortable couch, idly flipping through the channels on the TV set. She had spent much of her day getting to know Melbourne, finally having a chance to do some exploring after leaving Brisbane, where she'd been a few weeks before. She had found several exquisitely beautiful public gardens in her wanderings, some of which, she was delighted to discover, had koi ponds. The sight of the colourful fish had made Minako so homesick for Rei that she very nearly cried. It had been almost impossible to pull herself away.

She had realized early on in her tour that she absolutely adored her Australian fans. They were cheerful, friendly, and just plain generous. Minako had received a number of gifts from several of them already, including a beautifully crafted plush koala. It looked almost real. She was tempted to have it sent to Rei, but it was quite comforting to cuddle with. It was in one of her arms at that very moment, keeping her company as she tried to relax. The plush was wonderfully soft, but it just couldn't compare to snuggling with Rei. She sighed, finally dropping the remote and half-heartedly watched the rugby match she'd settled on. Normally she loved the sport, but it could hardly hold her attention that night.

She hadn't been able to get hold of Rei at all that day, which was quite frustrating. For some reason, Shacho had told Minako to take the day off—and had actually left her to her own devices. They wouldn't have been interrupted by the idol needing to run off someplace. Besides, the last time they'd spoken, she was convinced that Rei was keeping something from her. There was something about her tone... Minako couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something—

Someone knocked on her door.

"It's open, Shacho!" Minako called, dreading the thought of looking at yet another list of schedules. So much for the promise of having a full day off.

The knocking came again. Slightly irritated, she rose from the couch, strode to the door, and opened it.

For a second, she was convinced that she was still on the couch, but asleep. She had to be dreaming.

"R-Rei?"

"Hi, Mina." Rei's smile was almost sheepish, her cheeks rosy with delight. "I was in the neighbourhood and thought I'd stop by."

Immediately, they were in each other's arms.

"You're really here," Minako breathed, hardly daring to believe it.

"I've missed you so much." Rei's face was buried in Minako's neck, her voice muffled. "That flight felt like forever."

"So this is why I haven't been able to get hold of you all day. You're forgiven!"

There was the sound of a throat being cleared. They turned their heads and saw Shacho leaning casually against the hallway wall.

"Minako-chan, when you have a guest, the proper etiquette is to invite her in." His eyes twinkled with amusement. "Rei-chan, the airport has your luggage. I'll send someone over to pick it up for you."

"Thank you, Shacho. I couldn't have done this without your help."

Minako's jaw dropped. "Shacho! You knew about this and you didn't tell me?"

Her manager looked very satisfied with himself. "I was sworn to secrecy. Besides, I still hadn't gotten you back for the vegemite coffee. Now go on." He shooed them away with a wave of his hand. "You two have some catching up to do."

"You forgot your luggage?" Minako laughed, pulling Rei inside of the suite. She blushed when she caught Shacho winking at her.

"No, the baggage guys did. It's no big deal." The door closed and locked behind Rei. "I—figured I wouldn't really need my clothes tonight."

Rei's fiery gaze raked over the idol with obvious intent. Minako nearly forgot how to breathe as sure hands grasped her around the waist and drew her close.

"Reiko—"

Rei's lips brushed against Minako's, silencing her.

"This is the one good part about being separated from you," she whispered.

~O~O~O~O~

Minako was amazed that they even made it to the bedroom.

They left behind a trail of scattered clothing on their journey from the suite's living room, falling onto the bed in only their underclothes.

Those too were quickly discarded.

Long afterwards, they lay together, their bodies entangled with one another as they gasped for breath. Eventually, Minako propped her head up on one of her hands and fixed her eyes on Rei.

"So, I take it you missed me?"

Rei was still panting slightly. "Give me a—minute here—and I can prove it to you—again, if you like."

Minako giggled and brushed Rei's bangs back from her forehead.

"I almost forgot how beautiful you are. Just thinking of you all the time doesn't do you justice."

Rei went furiously red and buried her forehead in Minako's chest. Minako giggled again and kissed the top of her head.

"I'm so glad you're here, Rei."

Dark eyes peered up at the idol. "You missed me too, I guess?"

"A bit." Minako pressed her mouth against Rei's bare shoulder. Abruptly she found herself pinned against the mattress.

"It's been a minute," Rei breathed. Her hand travelled up Minako's thigh.

~O~O~O~O~

Rei eventually succumbed to the exhaustion of her journey and drifted off in the idol's arms, mumbling that she didn't want to waste her time sleeping. They only had a week, after all. Minako watched Rei as she slept, just enjoying the sight of her.

Small wonder that she was worn out, Minako thought, idly running her fingertips up and down Rei's back. Rei had confessed that she'd hardly been able to sleep in the days leading up to her trip, nor had the flight been terribly restful.

"The stewardesses kept bothering me, asking if I wanted anything—I finally told them that yes, I wanted them to leave me alone!" Rei had huffed indignantly, much to Minako's amusement. No doubt the airline employees had been suspicious of Rei's identity as well, given that she was bound for Australia—where Aino Minako was.

"You're supposed to take everything they offer, Reiko. They do draw the line when you say you want to fly the plane though."

Since arriving, Minako had been asked about her newly-revealed relationship in most of the interviews she'd given. She had even seen a couple of local newscasts about the embrace. People were curious, but were largely gracious in allowing Minako to steer the line of discussion back towards promoting her tour and new album. That was the purpose of her visit, after all. She just hoped things would go as smoothly when she returned home. Perhaps she'd have to refuse to give interviews for awhile until the excitement died down. Or maybe do an exclusive—

Rei murmured something unintelligible in her sleep and tightened her hold on Minako. The idol sighed contentedly.

One week. Time was going to go by far too quickly. But then she would be that much closer to finishing up her tour.

Minako grinned. She and Rei would get to have a second reunion. That would certainly be something to look forward to. But for the moment, she was quite happy to remain in the present.

"Mina..." Rei was still sound asleep, but smiled blissfully as she spoke.

Overcome with affection for her sleeping lover, Minako gently kissed Rei on the lips, closed her own eyes, and slept.

o~o~o~o~o

**Author notes: **

Yup. You guessed it. There was an airplane ticket in that envelope.

Also, I'm not sure when I decided Minako was a rugby fan. But it feels right, y'know?

Thanks for reading (and also for your kind reviews!)!

_Chapter 5 next week! _


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

The need for sustenance finally forced Rei and Minako to extract themselves from the hotel bed and go out into the world to find something to eat. When they got up, Rei pointed out that she needed to take a shower, given that she had not taken one since before leaving Japan.

Minako decided to join her.

As a result, it was fairly late in the morning by the time they made it to the small cafe that Minako had found during her previous day's excursion.

"Okay. Reiko, you have to try this stuff. Just so you'll know how truly awful it is." Minako waved a vegemite-slathered piece of toast in Rei's face.

"Ugh. Can't I just take your word for it? Why would I want to try it if it's so gross?" The substance looked rather vile.

Minako gazed levelly at Rei. "I am still traumatized by my first experience with it. How can you possibly support me in my time of need if you don't understand my pain?"

Rei sighed, knowing the outcome was inevitable. "Give it here." Preparing herself for the worst, she took a bite.

"So, how is it?" Minako asked angelically.

Rei glared, and forced herself to swallow the offending lump of food. "Remember how I joked about getting the others to try that stuff? I take it back. We'll get charged with attempted murder."

Minako laughed as Rei pushed the piece of toast aside and took an enormous swig of her orange juice.

"Now you understand?"

"All too well." Rei made a face and drank more juice.

Smirking, Minako sipped her coffee. "I'll make it up to you."

"Better clear your schedule then."

"I'll have my people contact yours—"

Minako's cell phone chose that moment to go off. She growled in frustration and checked the display.

"Sorry, Rei."

"Duty calls?"

"We may be getting our food to go." She flipped open the cell. "Hi, Shacho."

~O~O~O~O~

Rei reclined in the comfortable theatre seat as she and Shacho watched Minako and her dancers rehearse. Most of them had met Rei in the past but had not known the extent of her relationship with Minako until the airport story broke. Regardless, they were all quite surprised and delighted to see Rei, especially when she and Minako arrived with several coffees and a large bag of cookies in tow.

Shacho inspected his own coffee very carefully before taking a sip.

"She never plays the same prank twice, Shacho, you know that," Rei commented, brushing cookie crumbs from her t-shirt and helping herself to another.

"Not on the same person, no. But she could be trying to get one of the others. Or you."

Rei halted the cookie she held in mid-air, narrowing her eyes at it in suspicion. Shacho snorted with amusement.

"Your timing of this visit was absolutely perfect. She's been working too hard."

Rei quirked an eyebrow at Minako's manager. "Says the man who called her here today."

"Actually, I was just reminding her about the rehearsal. She'd have been here hours before anyone else if you weren't here." He took another sip of coffee. "She's missed you."

Feeling herself blush, Rei looked down at her lap. "I've missed her too."

"I haven't seen her looking so rested in ages. Surprising, really, since you probably kept each other up for half the night."

"Shacho!" Rei turned even redder and swatted the manager on the arm. "You're terrible!"

They both burst out laughing.

"Hey! Do we need to separate the two of you?" Minako stood poised at the front of the stage, glaring at the pair of them.

Assuming an expression of feigned innocence, Rei pointed at Shacho. "He started it."

At the exact same time, Shacho pointed at Rei. "She started it."

They both collapsed into another fit of giggles.

Minako's eyes narrowed further. "No hijinks unless I get to be part of them. Behave yourselves!" She wagged her finger at them and spun around. "Let's take that one from the top, guys," she said to her dancers.

Rei and Shacho fought to get their laughter under control so they wouldn't disrupt the rehearsal any further.

"I still say you started it," Rei muttered, swatting Shacho again.

~O~O~O~O~

Eventually, Rei decided she wanted to do some exploring of her own. After asking Shacho to let Minako know where she'd gone, Rei stepped from the theatre into the bright sunlight, trying to choose which direction to go.

Melbourne was really a beautiful city, Rei thought, taking in the numerous tall buildings and the bright blue skyline as she walked. She'd been far too excited when she'd first arrived to notice very many details.

A young man playing his guitar on the busy street corner winked cheekily at her when she tossed a coin into his open case. As she moved on, she noticed that the tune sounded very familiar.

"_C'est la vie_?" She glanced back at the musician. He was wearing an Aino Minako concert t-shirt. Laughing to herself, Rei made a mental note to tell Minako about it later. At least he hadn't recognized Rei and kicked up a fuss. It was nice to be able to walk around without that fear. She hoped that the hype might finally have died down by the time she returned home.

After wandering in and out of a few shops, she remembered that she had spotted a lively riverfront during the drive in from the airport, and decided to try and find it. Her task turned out to be relatively easy since the river wended its way through much of the city, and before long, Rei found the pier she had spotted the night before.

Noisy flocks of gulls hovered in the air, trying to find their way to the water through the clusters of sailboats. Rei chuckled when a few of them landed on the pier and began strolling along casually, as though they too were just tourists. In the distance, Rei saw a number of brightly-coloured kites dancing in the strong breeze. There was a bit of a chill in the wind too, Rei noticed, wrapping her arms around herself. She wished she'd brought her jacket with her from the theatre.

"Cold, Reiko?"

Rei would have toppled into the water if not for the sturdy railing she leaned on. The idol was standing just behind her, smiling delightedly. "Minako! How do you _do_ that?"

"I'm just that good." She moved forward and leaned on the railing next to Rei. "We're finished for the day. Shacho told me you left to go exploring."

Rei took her hand. "How'd you know where to find me?"

Minako gazed out at the river. "I guessed. You've always loved the water, Reiko."

"Mars, you mean?"

"Well, more that you were pretty reluctant to leave the shower earlier..."

Rei's burst of laughter caused a few nearby gulls to take flight. Minako grinned and pulled Rei's arms around her waist. She leaned back against her lover, making a sound of utter contentment when soft lips kissed her cheek.

They stayed that way until the sky began to darken, just holding each other as they listened to the sound of the rolling waves.

~O~O~O~O~

"He was really playing _C'est la Vie_? Ooh. He'll feel that one in the morning!"

They were curled up on the sizeable couch of Minako's hotel suite, munching popcorn and watching more rugby. Minako was enjoying the match far more than she had been the previous evening. Rei was greatly amused by the suggestion of what to watch. She didn't much care for the sport herself, but watching it with Minako was always very entertaining. Rei usually paid more attention to the idol than to the games, as her reactions were nothing short of priceless.

"I'd wager he's feeling that right now. And yes, he was playing your song. Did I mention the t-shirt?"

Minako flung a piece of popcorn at the TV. "C'mon! What kind of a call was that? No, you mentioned no t-shirt. What about the t-shirt?"

Rei took a small handful of the snack. "It was an Aino Minako t-shirt. From one of your Asian tours. Oh! Man, how does no one die when they play this game?" An orange-clad player was writhing on the field after being hit with a particularly vicious tackle. Rei grimaced as the team medics hurriedly gathered around him.

"You think this is bad, you should watch Canadians play hockey."

"Isn't that just rugby on ice? I'll pass, thanks. I don't care for the cold."

"Aww, I'd keep you warm, Reiko," Minako purred, running her hand along Rei's leg.

"Um, d-does it have to be Canadians? M-maybe there's a team here—we could go sooner."

Minako picked up the remote and switched off the TV. "I'd much rather stay in tonight, if that's all right with you."

Her smile turned inviting.

O~O~O

**Author Notes:**

I couldn't resist the hockey jab. Normally we Canadians are a calm, peaceful folk-but then stick us in an arena and watch us go ballistic, on or off the ice.

...I bet Minako's one of few people who could get Leafs tickets.

Anyway, see you next week, and thanks again for the reads and reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

A knock on the door of the suite pulled Minako from sleep. She glanced at the clock. The hour was relatively reasonable, so she reined in her desire to murder whoever it was that woke her. The sound of running water in the next room told her that Rei was having a shower. Minako was tempted to ignore the door altogether and join her, but the knocking came again. It sounded insistent.

Growling, she grabbed her robe and ran her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth it out. Before unlocking the door, she peered through the peephole. It was Shacho. He looked rather strained. Feeling distinctly uneasy, Minako yanked the door open.

"What is it?" she asked in lieu of a greeting.

Shacho held up a copy of the city newspaper. "Entertainment section," he said, passing it to her. He sounded tired. "Is she up yet?"

Minako felt her stomach clench as she flipped open the paper. Once more she was met by images of the airport embrace, as well as a shot of her and Rei on the pier from the previous evening. There was one glaring difference from previous publications, however.

"They know her name. How?" She moved aside to let Shacho into the suite and closed the door behind him. He perched on the couch—Minako refrained from telling him what she and Rei had been doing there the night before—and ran his hands over his face.

"They got it from her flight information. Someone who worked for the airline recognized her from the original photos, looked her up..."

"And then gave her name away to the highest bidder." Minako felt her blood boil. She knew something like it had been bound to happen, but it still made her furious. She flung the newspaper aside. "Can I get you anything, Shacho?"

Her manager shook his head. "I could use a nap. I've been up all night fielding calls from all sorts of reporters wanting me to confirm or deny her identity. There've been a few from her father's people as well."

On that note, Rei's cell phone began to buzz loudly from where it sat on an end table. Minako picked it up and checked the display. _The Senator_, it read. She took a breath and flipped it open.

"Aino Minako speaking."

There was a brief pause. "Oh, I'm terribly sorry, I must have dialled—_Aino Minako_?"

"Yes, that's right. You're Senator Hino, are you not? Rei's busy at the moment, but I believe I know why you're calling. I've just been shown today's newspaper. I imagine you've been getting bombarded with phone calls yourself." Minako's tone became all business as she spoke.

"You have no idea—"

"Actually, I have a pretty clear one, Senator. My manager hasn't slept." She gave Shacho's shoulder a gentle pat. "I don't know the extent of the situation just yet. Your call came as he was beginning to tell me about it."

The Senator made a disgruntled noise. "May—may I speak to my daughter please, Miss Aino?"

Minako heard the sound of running water being extinguished.

"Just a moment, sir. Perhaps you'd like to talk with my manager first so we're all on the same page." She gave Shacho a pleading look and handed him the phone. "I'm sorry," she mouthed, and went to get Rei.

"Reiko?" Minako knocked on the door that connected the suite's bedroom to the bathroom and pushed it open.

Rei was wrapped in a towel as she ran a comb through her wet hair. "Did I wake you, love?" Her expression changed suddenly, as it always did when she sensed trouble. "What's wrong?"

Minako shook her head. "You didn't wake me. Shacho did. They—they know who you are, Rei."

Rei's eyes widened. There was the briefest flash of fear in them. She didn't need to ask who "they" meant. "Oh. Oh, I see. W-well, we knew it was inevitable, right?" She tried to look nonchalant as she put down the comb. "So they'll know where to find me when I go home then. It-it'll be good for Shrine business, I suppose." Her eyes looked everywhere but at Minako's. She was quite pale. "I-I'll probably be hearing from my father about this too—"

"He's on the phone right now, Rei. Shacho's talking to him but he'd like to talk to you as well."

Rei nodded mutely, and followed Minako into the bedroom to get dressed.

~O~O~O~O~

Rei rested her head in Minako's lap as they sat on the suite's couch, trying to decide what to do. She was positively dreading her eventual return home, and felt almost as though her visit to Minako had been tainted.

Someone had been watching them the previous day, and would very likely be watching them again when they left the hotel. What shocked Rei most was that she hadn't known the observer had been there. At least that meant whoever it was had no malicious intentions. Rei would have sensed them if they had.

Still, it was disconcerting.

The conversation with her father had been surprisingly helpful, as he assured her that he had already taken steps to ensure that the Shrine would not be harassed by reporters and photographers in her absence. She hadn't realized how heavily that thought alone had been weighing on her. The Shrine had been her home for so long, that to cause it any trouble felt like the worst sort of betrayal to Rei. She had declined her father's offer to move her things into his manor though. That would create a whole new set of problems for them both.

Still, she'd probably have to consider looking for a new place to live when she got back to Japan. The thought made her rather sad.

"We'll have to buy you a pair of sunglasses, I guess, Reiko." Minako's voice interrupted her thoughts.

Rei scowled. "Will that really help, d'you think?"

"You'd be amazed." Minako ran her fingers through Rei's hair. "Play dumb, remember?"

"Tried that. Ended up running for my life. I told you about that."

"I seem to recall a lot of laughing on my part." Rei playfully swatted Minako's leg. "Besides, schoolgirls are impossible to fool. Journalists are a different story. They'll buy anything if you package it right."

"Hm. If you say so. Did Shacho finally get off to sleep?"

Minako nodded. "I still can't believe he was up all night dealing with reporters. He's too good to me."

Rei sighed. "We should let him sleep. You guys are close enough to the show that rehearsal should run smoothly enough without him, right?"

Minako clapped a hand to her forehead. "Rehearsal! I have to go!"

~O~O~O~O~

As Rei had expected, the rehearsal was seamless. Considering the concert itself was a day away, that was a good thing. Each show had to be altered slightly in each city because of the different venues. The size of the stages changed, sound booths had varied and convoluted setups—there were even a few special effects involving some pyrotechnics that wouldn't be employed until the actual live performance. Rei had been shown a few computer simulations that looked impressive. Minako certainly knew how to entertain her audience.

Eventually, Rei's thoughts drifted back to what she was going to face after her trip. She wasn't particularly looking forward to the loss of her privacy, even though she had known all along that it was a very real possibility. She had thought during her wanderings the previous day that she didn't have to worry so much while she was in Australia, but some of the photographs had been snapped less than a day after her arrival. She grudgingly admitted that the shot of her and Minako on the pier was a beautiful one, when she saw it. The day's fading light was reflecting off of them as they gazed out at the water, making them almost appear to be glowing. From the expressions they wore in the image, they could have been.

Rei's cell phone buzzed with another text. Her friends had been sending her notes and updates all day, wanting to know that she was all right. The latest was from Makoto.

Rei had asked her if she would be able to drop by the Shrine at some point to scope out the situation there. If anyone recognized her as an acquaintance of Rei's, she was quite sure that Makoto, of all her friends, was best-suited to deal with aggressive reporters. She had taken out some of the Senator's own bodyguards when she thought Rei was in danger, after all. Minako had said more than once that if Makoto ever grew tired of running her own business, she had a job as head of the idol's security team.

_It's pretty busy here. But just regular people, I think_, Makoto had written.

Rei wrote a quick reply. _Any sign of the elders? Have you spoken to them?_

_I can, if you like._

She hesitated for a moment, suddenly worried about how the elders could have taken the news of her relationship, and wondered if she wanted to know the truth yet. She exhaled slowly, and sent her reply.

_Yes, please. Thank you, Makoto._

It was astonishing really, that the elders hadn't mentioned anything to Rei since the original news of the relationship broke. She'd kept a low profile when she went about her day, and waited for one of the elders to say something to her. But no one had said a word. Either they had somehow missed the images and broadcasts across the city, or like Rei, they had simply chosen to play dumb. But now that her identity was public knowledge, they wouldn't be able to any longer.

Shacho dropped abruptly into the seat beside Rei, startling her.

"How are you feeling, Rei-chan? Any better?"

Rei shrugged and half-smiled. "I'm fine, Shacho. Thanks. Just worried about what'll happen when I go home." If she still had one, she thought, glancing edgily at the phone in her hand. Makoto still hadn't replied. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"The key to being a good manager is the ability to delegate. I had one of my assistants take a nap in my stead."

Despite herself, Rei chuckled. "And you say Minako works too hard."

"We love what we do." Shacho yawned hugely. "Nervous twitch," he said at Rei's stern look.

Their attention was eventually drawn to the stage as the lights in the theatre dimmed to black. After a few minutes, bluish spotlight appeared and revealed Minako, clad in a stunning white dress. Rei's breath caught in her throat as Minako's eyes met hers across the light. The idol winked and began to sing a familiar slow number from her new album.

"God, she's so beautiful," Rei murmured.

"That she is," Shacho replied quietly, making Rei blush. She hadn't meant to say the words out loud.

"Things will work out, Rei-chan." Shacho gave her a friendly nudge with his shoulder.

Rei nudged him back. "I know they will."

As Minako's song ended, Rei's cell phone buzzed.

~O~O~O~O~

The moment Minako first stepped on the stage to start rehearsing, her eyes never once left Rei. She appeared to be texting someone, or perhaps several someones. Given how often she would put her phone aside, flip it open again to gaze intently at the screen, then write something, it seemed so. Minako had a feeling that her own phone was receiving similar messages, and likely from the same people. She smiled a bit more at the thought.

She and Rei really had the most wonderful friends. They were the reason Minako wasn't completely panicked by the thought of what awaited Rei when she returned home. Not that she wasn't worried at all. She needed to make a few calls of her own, closer to Rei's return trip. Minako watched Rei's face grow apprehensive as she read something else on her phone. Several minutes passed before she replied to whatever the message had said.

It was taking all of Minako's willpower not to halt rehearsal for the day and bring Rei someplace quiet where they could talk some more. She was feeling guilty about putting Rei in such a stress-laden situation. Minako had known exactly what would happen once the press got wind of their relationship, and had told Rei as much more than once. But Rei had always just smiled that gorgeous, enigmatic smile of hers and said that she could handle whatever came her way, as long as she had Minako by her side.

So Minako had finally given in.

She watched Rei talking quietly with Shacho, who had arrived only moments before. He seemed to be speaking words of reassurance to Rei, as the troubled look in her eyes faded slightly. Minako fought the urge to smirk at her manager's presence. He was even more of a workaholic than she was.

She waited for the lights to dim, and when they did, she dashed backstage for a quick costume change. Despite everything that was going on, Minako was quite excited for Rei's reaction when she saw her in the dress she was to wear for the final number. Perhaps after the show, when her dressing room had been cleared of other visitors, Rei could help her out of it.

With that lovely thought in mind, Minako took her place on the blackened stage just in time for the spotlight to touch her. She was torn between amusement and desire at the sight of Rei's expression. Feeling her cheeks redden, Minako winked at her lover and began to sing.

It was by far her favourite among all the songs on her new album.

No one but Minako knew just how deeply Rei's musical talents ran. After learning that Rei was not only a brilliant singer, but also a skilled guitar player, the idol had shown up at the Shrine one day with her own guitar in tow. Rei had been reluctant at first, but eventually she pulled out the stringed instrument she had inherited from her mother and began to play along with Minako. Before long, Rei was idly playing a simple, but beautiful melody as Minako listened and watched. The words came to the idol so clear and quick, it was as though they had been whispered in her ear.

Their first collaboration.

Minako had been unable to resist joking that they made beautiful music together.

She closed her eyes as she finished the number, letting the final strands of music wash across her. Breathing a small sigh of relief at how well the rehearsal had gone, Minako opened her eyes to smile at Rei.

Her heart nearly stopped.

Rei had vanished.

o~o~o

**Author's note**: ...Please don't hurt me. I swear, all will be shiny.

See you next week!


	7. Chapter 7

7

When her phone buzzed, Rei flipped it open, thinking it was another text, but the glowing display told her it was a call. Putting the cell against her ear, Rei jumped to her feet and sprinted into the theatre's main foyer, hoping she didn't disturb the rehearsal.

"Makoto?"

"Rei-chan! I'm sorry I took so long to get back to you. I thought it would be best to speak to you directly about this."

Rei swallowed. That didn't sound very promising.

"Y-you spoke with the elders?"

"With the shrine leader, yeah. He says you can stay on at the Shrine—"

"Really?" Rei felt a huge sense of relief.

"—But, uh, just as a priestess."

She was confused. "I'm already a priestess, though, how is—"

"Um, w-well, he feels that for your safety, as well as the Shrine's—you—you probably shouldn't live there anymore."

Rei's mind went numb. She was being asked to leave her home. She had known that it was possible, and the shrine leader obviously meant well, but— She chomped down on her lip, trying desperately not to get upset while Makoto was still on the line.

"Rei-chan?"

"I—I understand. Please, M-Mako-chan, can—can you tell him I'll do as he's asked?" Rei felt a few tears leak from her eyes. A sob was fighting to escape her. She needed to hang up.

"Sure, Rei-chan. Anything you need."

"I-I-I gotta g-go, Makoto."

Makoto's voice was filled with sympathy. "I'm really sorry, Rei-chan."

Rei hurriedly closed her phone and tried to push away the wave of despair that threatened to overwhelm her. She shut her eyes and tried to breathe in. It would be all right. She would find someplace new.

Unknown.

The edges of her vision blurred. She needed to sit down before she keeled over.

Familiar arms slipped around her shoulders from behind and pulled her close.

"Reiko."

Mutely, Rei turned in the embrace and held onto Minako for dear life.

~O~O~O~O~

The idol hurriedly escorted Rei to the privacy of her dressing room when Minako found her in the deserted foyer, radiating shock and sorrow. No explanation was forthcoming, as Rei simply sat and let Minako hold her while she quietly wept. It seemed she had lost the ability to speak.

Minako felt terrible. She hated seeing Rei so upset. But she knew if she waited and did not press Rei, she would know what was going on.

Patience never had been one of her virtues. Although—the tiniest of smiles etched her features at the thought—she had been plenty patient in waiting for Rei to make a move on her. She had been milliseconds from making the move herself when Rei had finally acted. Their first kiss seemed so recent, yet so much time had passed since that night.

In their past lives, Venus' impatience had won out. That kiss felt oddly recent as well, even though it had happened several millennia ago.

Rei gave a huge, shuddering sigh against Minako and sat up, wiping her red-rimmed eyes.

"I think I need some air," she said. Standing, she held out her hand.

Minako grasped it gently and stood as well. "I know someplace we can go."

~O~O~O~O~

Minako stared at Rei's reflection in the koi pond's trembling water as they sat beside it. Her expression was difficult to read as the numerous fish swam around, distorting the image. Every so often, her grip on Minako's hand would tighten until it was almost painful, then abruptly relax.

The area of the public garden was fairly isolated, as it was surrounded by a wide array of trees, plants, and countless blooms of colourful flowers. The scent of the air was rich and earthy. In spite of everything, Minako was beginning to feel calmer with each inhalation she took.

"I have to move out of the Shrine." Rei's voice was so quiet, Minako half-thought she had imagined it.

The Shrine. No wonder Rei was so heartbroken.

Rei's grip tightened again. "I still have a job though. Business has picked up for some odd reason."

Minako breathed a sigh of relief. Rei was trying to make a joke. That was definitely a good sign. She leaned her head on Rei's shoulder and waited for her to continue. Rei let go of Minako's hand and slipped her arm around the idol's waist.

"I don't know what to do, Mina. I've lived there nearly all my life. I wouldn't even know where to begin looking for a place! Or how!" She hung her head dejectedly. "It's always been—home."

Reassuring words were on the tip of Minako's tongue when an obvious solution came to her. But the question was whether or not Rei would go along with her idea. She'd have to phrase it carefully, tread lightly—

"You should move in with me," she blurted. Minako could have smacked herself in the forehead. So much for subtlety.

Rei's whole body tensed. She turned and gaped at the idol, astonished.

Gulping nervously, Minako met Rei's eyes and ploughed ahead. "I-I think it's a good idea. I mean, I was g-going to ask you when I finished this tour, but—but given everything that's happened—"

"Y-you were?" Rei's face grew, if possible, more astonished.

"Why do you look so surprised, Reiko? Of course I was! I love you! I want you with me!" Minako felt her face flush with emotion, and turned her gaze back to the koi pond. She hadn't meant to raise her voice. Hopefully there were no reporters hiding in the shrubbery.

Rei's distorted reflection moved towards hers and Minako felt a hand cup her cheek. She was met with a piercing stare.

"You're serious?"

Minako covered Rei's hand with her own. "Completely, Rei. I want this. I want—I want _you_."

"Mina..." Rei's hold on her waist tightened. She leaned forward. "...You _have_ me."

~O~O~O~O~

Once they'd pulled themselves away from the quiet of the koi pond, Rei remembered spotting a pleasant looking Italian restaurant when she had been walking around the day before, and Minako had no objections to the suggestion of dinner. Neither of them had been able to eat much since waking, given how frayed their nerves had been for the past several hours, and they both realized they were rather hungry. The patio had been quite inviting, but they decided to remain inside when given the option, deciding to take a more secluded table where they could escape the other patrons' notice.

"Easy enough to watch everyone else though," Minako said, wearing a devilish grin when they sat down.

Rei chuckled. "So long as you don't get caught."

"That was one time. And _everyone_ was staring, if you recall. Including you."

"Some people just can't handle spicy food. Poor guy never had a chance." She handed Minako one of the menus their waiter had given them and began to peruse her own. "Should we get a red or white wine?"

"Yes."

Rei glanced up from the menu with an eyebrow raised. Minako was smiling impishly.

"So, a rosé wine then?"

Laughing, Minako nodded and reached across the table for Rei's hand. "Although, after today, ordering two bottles is rather tempting, you have to admit."

Rei ran her other hand across her face and smirked. "It is. Except I'd probably be in a coma if we drank all that."

"Hm. Well, that's no good. I need you awake."

"For what?—O-oh." Minako's foot brushed against Rei's leg. "Um, right."

Their waiter returned not long after to take their order. Rei was glad that the light in the restaurant was low, given that she was certain she was bright red.

~O~O~O~O~

Minako linked her arm through Rei's as they strolled back towards the hotel. "That was a great idea, Reiko. I don't think I've had pasta that fantastic since we went to Rome."

Rei grinned, feeling utterly relaxed. "I think we should have skipped the pasta and just had the gelato."

"Mm, you sound like you enjoyed the wine, too, love," Minako teased.

"Not nearly as much as you—hey, hold on a second." Rei stopped walking when she heard the sound of a guitar. "I wonder if—" She pulled Minako towards the music. Across the street, through the gaps between the people on the busy sidewalk, Rei spotted the same young man playing his guitar on the street corner.

"That's him!" Rei glanced at Minako when she recognized the tune as _Romance_. The idol's eyes were sparkling.

"I want to go say hi. C'mon." Minako tugged Rei towards the crosswalk.

"What? Mina—" Rei instinctively ducked her head as they crossed the street, convinced a giant spotlight was about to hit them. She wasn't sure it was terribly wise for Minako to just walk up to a random fan in the street. His reaction would be sure to draw attention and then—

The musician smiled widely at Rei when he noticed their approach. Minako's face was largely obscured under a red baseball cap she'd bought while in Sydney.

"Hey there, I remember you! Got a friend with you t'day? I—I—I—" His hands faltered on the strings as Minako lifted her cap, holding a finger to her lips.

"Hi. What's your name?" Her English was, as always, flawless.

"Um, D-Drew." His eyes were enormous. Rei fought the urge to laugh. She knew how he felt. Oftentimes, Minako had that effect on her too.

"Do you have tickets for my concert tomorrow night, Drew?"

He turned pink and shook his head. "Sold out."

"So you would like to go to it, then?"

Drew nodded mutely. There was an uncomprehending disbelief in his gaze as Minako reached into her jacket and pulled out two tickets.

"I hope that the front row is okay. There's an extra, so you can bring someone with you. Oh, and here—" Minako reached into her handbag. "Backstage passes. Then I can meet your friend as well." She placed the items into Drew's shaking hands.

"See you tomorrow, then!" Minako nudged Rei, and they turned to go.

"W-waitasec! Um—n-not to be greedy, but—" he clutched the tickets and passes to his chest. "W-would you please sign my g-guitar?"

Minako looked delighted. "I would love to."

Rei was coerced into signing the instrument as well, though she refrained from using the loopy scrawl that Minako used for her autograph, and simply wrote her name in kanji. Drew was overjoyed.

They bid him a cheerful goodnight and resumed their walk back to the hotel. The sound of the guitar soon started up again, and Minako sang quietly as they strolled along. Rei was both relieved and amazed that they hadn't drawn a crowd.

"Minako, did you just happen to have those tickets on you, or—"

The idol laughed. "I've been known to hang onto the odd pair of tickets to give away just before a show. Venues usually give me tickets for my family, but they're all back—" she paused and took hold of Rei's hand. "—_Most_ of them are back home."

"Most? I didn't know you had family here—oh." Rei trailed off at the sight of her lover's amused expression. She had been referring to Rei. "Oh, Mina." Rei was truly touched.

Minako pulled her into a tight hug. "Y'know what, Reiko? I think we need to get back to the hotel so we can celebrate our new living arrangements."

o~o~o

**Author notes**:

Thank you for not murdering me for the cliffhanger of last week. I appreciate it. See you next Thursday! ~ **G**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author notes**: So a portion of this chapter is possibly bordering on M rated, but if I change the overall story rating this will disappear from the story feed, and that saddens me. So. You have been warned.

...Enjoy!

**8**

Rei and Shacho watched the concert from backstage on a monitor in Minako's dressing room. It was a packed house. She could feel the reverberations from both the music and the cheering fans as she reclined in a comfortable chair, letting her mind wander back to the previous night's celebrations with Minako.

She had still hardly been able to believe it was actually happening—she and Minako living together. But she hadn't been able to dwell on the fact for long once Minako pinned her to the bed and began to help her out of her clothes. Thinking it wise to return the favour, Rei had unbuttoned Minako's blouse with incredible speed, before turning her attention to removing the idol's skirt.

Rei bit her lip, trying to keep her euphoria in check. The last thing she wanted was to have Shacho ask why she was wearing such a huge smile. He had already been giving the pair of them odd looks when they'd all departed for the concert hall earlier.

"Glad to see you're feeling better, Rei-chan. I was worried when you dashed off yesterday."

A wave of guilt washed over Rei. She hadn't said a word to him about the phone call. "Oh, Shacho, I'm so sorry, I didn't even think—"

He raised a palm to halt her speech. "As long as you're all right. I sent our girl after you, so I knew you'd be in good hands."

Good hands. Yes, that was certainly one of Minako's attributes. Rei knew her face was turning red. She struggled to get herself under control. Her fingertips dug into the chair's armrest. When was the concert going to end already?

"You look warm, Rei-chan. D'you need a drink?" Rei could almost hear his amusement.

"Cold water. Please."

An unmistakeable snort escaped Minako's manager as he handed Rei a chilled bottle. She was tempted to fling it at his head.

"Thanks," she muttered, and hurriedly pulled off the cap. She took a sip and looked back at the monitor. Minako was singing her final number, but no doubt there would be an encore. Perhaps a couple. Rei swallowed a groan and drank some more water. It was going to take every ounce of her willpower to keep from ambushing Minako the moment she returned to the dressing room. Especially since she was wearing that dress again.

After what seemed like forever, a thunderous round of cheers and applause echoed from the stage. Rei watched Minako take a final bow before the stage lights dimmed and she disappeared from the screen.

~O~O~O~O~

"Phenomenal show tonight, guys!" Minako cried, hugging each of her dancers. "That was fantastic! Wow. You're all awesome. Do I tell you that enough? I don't think I do. And you guys!" Her band followed closely behind, looking quite pleased with their performance. "You guys are just wonderful! Amazing! All of you, take the next few days for yourselves, okay? If you do anything resembling work, I will know."

They laughed good-naturedly and made their way to their dressing rooms, wishing the idol a fond goodnight.

As they dispersed, Rei was revealed to be leaning against the doorway that led to her own dressing room. She said nothing, but passed her gaze over Minako, her lips quirking into a tiny smile. Her eyes were smouldering with want. Minako felt herself heat up.

"You have a couple of visitors," Rei said in a low voice. "Let's not keep them waiting."

Had her guests been members of the press, Minako would have cheerfully told them to scram, but she couldn't help feeling pleased by the sight of Drew and a pretty young woman standing nervously in her dressing room.

"Drew! You made it! I'm so glad! Did you have a good time? Who's this?" Minako hugged them both as if they were old friends.

Drew's smile could have lit up the entire city. "This is Nicola, my fiancée. And we had the most fantastic time!"

"Amazing," Nicola added, blushing profusely. "This was such an incredible surprise. Thank you so much—"

"The pleasure is all mine, Nicola. Have a seat! Shacho, do we have any drinks?"

"I know the cold water is excellent. Just ask Rei-chan."

Rei's burning gaze turned briefly murderous. "I will end you, Shacho," she muttered in Japanese. Minako blinked. She must have missed something.

"Actually, we—we really can't stay. We've both got work tomorrow. Early," Drew said, looking quite remorseful. "But we couldn't pass this up. Um, but Nic's brought some of your CDs, if—if—you wouldn't mind—"

"Oh, of course! Whatever you like!" Minako was secretly ecstatic that the visit would be a short one. She could feel the pure intensity emanating from Rei as she autographed Nicola's music collection. She took a deep breath to steady herself.

"Shacho? Would you be so kind as to make sure Drew and Nicola get home safely? The limo, perhaps?" The young couple made sounds of astonishment. "And you can head back to the hotel too, if you like."

Her manager appeared momentarily confused. "Of course, Minako-chan, but how will you—"

She didn't dare look at Rei. "I'll call when I'm ready to head back. I have to do—something." Rei abruptly started coughing.

"Sounds like Rei-chan needs more cold water," Shacho said.

Anyone else would have turned to stone from the glare Rei aimed at him.

"Per-perhaps it's time we were off." Shacho tugged nervously at his collar and skittered away from Rei.

"M-Minako? Thank you, again. So much." Nicola clutched her signed CDs to her chest, not unlike how Drew had been clutching the tickets the night before. "Good luck on the rest of your tour."

"With fans like you two, I don't need it. But thank you, Nicola. And congratulations on your engagement."

Grinning madly, the pair departed with one last wave. Shacho followed closely behind. Minako dove at the door to shut and lock it when they disappeared.

As she was about to turn around, with every intention of pushing Rei to the dressing room couch to thoroughly ravish her, a pair of hands pressed against the door, trapping Minako. A fiery hot mouth tasted her neck.

"D'you—want any help getting out of that dress?" Rei's hands left the doorframe to undo the delicate clasps.

Minako shivered pleasurably and nodded as Rei slid the thin straps from her shoulders and tugged the garment slowly downwards.

~O~O~O~O~

They eventually managed to tear themselves from Minako's dressing room and made their way back to the hotel. Shacho probably wouldn't have been too pleased by their choice of a taking a late-night walk, but the city was beautifully lit up, plenty of people were about, and frankly, Rei needed some time to catch her breath. If Minako's flushed countenance was any indicator, so did she.

They weren't long in picking up where they'd left off when the door to the suite closed behind them. No sooner had the lock been turned before Minako pulled Rei's shirt off, and started pushing her rapidly towards the bedroom, somehow losing her own jeans in the process.

Much later, Rei's eyes shone with delight as Minako relaxed on top of her, wrapped in the bed sheets.

"So you really have the next few days free?"

"I have a couple of interviews, but they're early in the day." The idol nuzzled Rei's cheek. "You can stay here and keep the bed warm."

"Work, work, work. That's all I'm good for." Rei laughed at Minako's playful scowl. "You're so incredible, do y'know that?"

Minako hid her face against Rei's neck, glowing with embarrassment.

"What? I know you hear stuff like that all the time, Mina."

"It's different when you're the one saying it, Reiko." Minako's lips brushed Rei's skin. "A lot of people say they love me too, but when _you _say it—" Her hand stroked Rei's chest, making Rei tremble. "—I can't begin to hear it enough."

Rei wasn't sure that she could even form an intelligent thought, let alone speak, given what Minako's other hand was doing to her. She moaned softly and tightened her hold on the idol's body as the touch deepened.

Minako's voice was husky when it whispered in Rei's ear. "I want to hear it all the time. Every time you think it. I don't care where you are or what you're doing—I want to hear you say you love me." Her ministrations intensified.

"Mm—Mina—" Rei rasped, certain she was about to pass out from pure ecstasy. She tried to say the words Minako wanted from her, but they were buried in a wave of pleasure so intoxicating, that incoherent gasps were the only sounds she could produce. She hooked a leg around Minako's hip, her breath hitching in her chest as another tide, and then another began to build and surge within her. Minako's eyes were riveted to her own, inches away, and alight with desire. The sight of them pushed Rei over the edge with a powerful cry.

She lay beneath Minako, fighting for air, as the idol placed soft kisses around her jaw line.

"I love you too, Reiko." She grinned at the flicker of confusion on Rei's face. "That's my favourite way to hear you say it."

Rei choked out a laugh. She was still rather short of breath. "So long as—no one else—says it to you—like that—"

Minako made a face and poked Rei in the stomach. "Only you. Hey!"

Rei seized the idol around her middle and rolled her onto her back. Minako gasped as Rei's hand slid between her thighs.

"I want to hear you say it that way too."

Minako's ability to communicate intelligibly was lost when Rei's heated mouth latched onto hers.

o~o~o

_Say it with me now: See you next week! _

_Also, a very happy Canada Day to my fellow Canucks! ~ __**G**_


	9. Chapter 9

**9**

All too soon, Rei's visit came to an end. She and Minako had spent much of their remaining time together wandering along the busy riverfront and exploring more of the city—whenever they managed to pull themselves away from the hotel bedroom.

Her suitcase for the trip home was considerably heavier than when she'd left Japan, given that she and Minako had visited several shops the day before. Rei had wanted to pick up a few souvenirs for their friends, as well as a thank you gift for her father. He had certainly done his homework when he'd planned his daughter's trip. Minako would be departing for Adelaide for the final leg of her tour only a couple of hours after Rei's flight was leaving for Tokyo.

Rei had been at somewhat of a loss as to what to buy for him, until Minako dragged her into a sporting goods store and pointed out the bright green jersey of Australia's national rugby team.

"But when would he even wear it, Minako?" Rei had asked, wondering how much it would cost to put his name on it. Her father's attire generally consisted of suits and more suits.

Minako had scoffed and pulled a much smaller jersey from the rack to hold against herself. "All the time, of course, Reiko. Trust me. I think I'll take one of these too."

Since Minako had some time before her own flight, she wanted to see Rei off. Walking hand in hand through Melbourne's Tullamarine Airport, Rei felt a strong sense of déjà vu as they approached the gateway for departures. At least no crowds had formed around them this time.

"Well, I can definitely say that I had a memorable visit." She adjusted her carry on bag as she turned to face Minako.

The idol's eyes were downcast. "I wish you could stay longer, Reiko."

"Me too. But I've got to go back and face the inevitable."

"You shouldn't have to face it alone, though."

"But I won't. Don't forget our friends. They'll look after me. They're good like that. Hey—" Rei reached up to brush a tear from Minako's cheek. "—I'll be fine. I have your magic sunglasses for protection, remember?"

Minako laughed softly and enveloped Rei in her arms. "And I get to avoid helping you move, I suppose."

"Which I'll be demanding compensation for the minute you return."

"_After_ we visit that ice cream shop." Minako pulled away, resting her hands on the small of Rei's back.

"Y'know," Rei said, stroking Minako's hair. "They do make orders to go."

Minako shook her head, amused. She met Rei's eyes. "I want to hear it again."

Rei blushed, more than happy to comply. She had been hearing the request regularly for the past few days.

"I love you, Minako."

She had barely finished speaking the words when Minako's mouth gripped hers, kissing Rei with quiet desperation.

"I'll be back soon," the idol whispered when she broke away.

Rei reluctantly relinquished her hold on Minako. "I—need to go. They might hold a flight for you, but probably not for me."

"I could make a quick call, if you like." She kissed Rei's cheek before letting go of her waist with a sigh.

Rei hoisted her carry on back onto her shoulder. It had slid to the ground sometime during the course of their goodbye. "Hm. Tempting." She grasped Minako's hand one last time before turning to head through the gate.

"Reiko?"

Smiling, Rei turned back around. She hadn't even released Minako's hand yet.

"I love you too."

Rei stroked the idol's hand with her thumb before raising it to her lips. "I'll see you at home, Mina."

She stepped backwards through the departure gate's sliding doors with a wink, already counting down to when she would next see Minako.

~O~O~O~O~

As Minako watched Rei disappear, her heart grew strangely light after hearing the parting words.

Rei would see her at _home_.

_Their_ home.

She bit her lip, suddenly giddy at the thought. Minako wondered how infuriated her fans in Adelaide would be if she made some excuse to cancel her final show, and simply followed Rei instead. She turned away from the gate, smiling to herself for even thinking it. If a fatal illness hadn't stopped her from performing once upon another time...

Her phone buzzed with a call. She felt a small pang of guilt when she saw the display.

Given how long she was going to be on tour, her former guardian had opted to stay behind in Japan and keep an eye on Minako's apartment. Besides, Minako had a feeling he wanted to stay closer to where Luna was. She knew how he felt.

"Hi, Artemis."

"What's this about kicking me out?"

"What? Artemis, I thought that we—"

"I'm kidding, Minako. I told you before, I am so delighted for the two of you. And really, how often am I here anymore anyway? Someone has to keep Luna out of trouble."

Minako snickered as she made her way towards the departure gate for domestic flights. Shacho had been kind enough to look after her luggage so she could say goodbye to Rei.

"I hear half the trouble she causes is your idea."

"Yes, well—I did learn from the best." There was an unmistakeable note of pride in his voice. "I'll miss you."

A lump formed in her throat. "No more goodbyes today, Artemis. Rei's just left to board her flight."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Minako. Are—you worried about her return?"

"Not really."

"You know, you sure aren't honest."

Minako burst out laughing, making a few people turn and stare. She ducked her head and strode quickly forward. She had no urge to get mobbed at the moment.

"I am always honest, Artemis. Except for when I'm not." She sighed. "I've made a few calls to make things a bit easier for her. So long as she can get past the inevitable reporter horde."

"Did you give her any tips?" Artemis' voice was slightly amused.

"I told her to resort to violence if necessary."

Artemis chuckled. "Well, I'll be here waiting for her when she arrives. Not sure how much help I'll be with the packing and moving, but I can supervise!"

"Yes, you're very good at that." Minako spotted Shacho and a porter standing with a loaded trolley of luggage. "I should go though, Artemis. I have my own flight to catch."

"Okay. Good luck in Adelaide. Not that you'll need it. I heard great things about the Melbourne show."

"Wait, only the Melbourne show?"

"Have a safe flight, Minako." Artemis chuckled again and hung up.

Minako closed her phone and made a face at it. She really had taught him too well.

"Ah, Minako-chan!" Shacho waved her over. "Rei-chan's on her way?"

She nodded. "Thanks for taking care of this so I could see her off."

Her manager slung a friendly arm around her shoulder. "Anytime, Minako-chan. Anytime. Now, what say we get our luggage moved off this cart so we can take it for a spin?"

"Have I ever told you that you're the best manager ever?"

Minako was amazed to see that Shacho could actually get embarrassed.

~O~O~O~O~

During the flight Rei discovered that Minako had tucked the red baseball cap into her carry on bag, with a note containing some last minute advice for dealing with the press when she landed. Her cheeks had been redder than the cap itself when she reached the part that spoke of things that were to come when the idol returned to Japan.

Rei, for example.

She took a deep breath and pulled the hat further down her forehead. She had exited the plane, passed through customs, and collected her luggage, all without incident. Ahead of her was the arrivals gate. She was pretty sure Minako was joking about using violence, but—

She slipped on the sunglasses Minako had insisted on buying for her, and walked determinedly forward, pulling her suitcase along. Time to put Minako's latest advice to the test.

Rei fervently hoped there were no schoolgirls present.

"There she is! Hino-san!"

"Hino-san!"

"Over here!"

Rei forced an expression of confusion onto her features as she was surrounded by reporters.

"What's going on? I-I'm sorry," she said in English. "Can I help you with something? I-I don't understand what you're saying." She wasn't sure if the accent she was affecting was more British than Australian, but it seemed to be doing the trick. She had thought Minako was just goofing around when she was teaching Rei to speak with the accent during her visit.

_All part of the master plan_, the note had said.

One of the journalists spoke up in English as well. "You—you are not Hino Rei?"

"Who? Uh, no. My name's Nicola." She repressed a grin. "I'm here to visit my cousin. Who's Hino Rei? Is she someone famous or something?"

Anxious muttering filled the air. Some of the reporters exchanged nervous glances.

Please, Rei thought, just clear a path and let me be on my way.

"She was supposed to be on this flight. You are really not her? You look like her—"

Her bemused smirk came quite easily. "I know my own name, sir. May I please go?"

Somewhat hesitantly, the crowd parted and Rei fought the urge to sprint away. She walked as quickly as she dared, keeping her head down as the exit neared. She was so close.

"Rei-chan!"

Rei froze at the sound of her name. Usagi, Ami and Makoto dashed towards her, waving excitedly. As one, the group of reporters turned and gawped for a moment before swarming at her.

Rei swore. "Usagi! Ami! Makoto! RUN!"

Her friends halted on the spot. Rei blew past them, her wheeled suitcase nearly airborne behind her as she barrelled through the exit doors. She prayed that there was a cab waiting, or she would be in some serious trouble—

"Hino-san."

Rei's jaw dropped when she saw Minako's driver leaning casually against the sleek, black luxury car. He tipped his hat briefly before seizing her bag and placing it in the open trunk. "I was told you'd be getting back today. Did your friends find you?—"

There was a loud clamour behind them as her friends appeared, looking frantic. Makoto threw her body back against the doors, holding them closed.

"Get in the car! Quick!" she shouted.

Minako's driver slammed the trunk and ran for the front seat, while Usagi and Ami pulled the thoroughly-surprised Rei into the backseat. With a wild yell, Makoto launched herself away from the doorway and dove into the car feet-first, yanking the door shut behind her.

"Drive!" she hollered, punching down the lock. The car took off like a shot, leaving the horde of yelling reporters in its dust.

Makoto sat back with a grin, tossing her bangs out of her face. She was sprawled at her friends' feet in the car's sizeable interior. "That was so _awesome_."

Rei wiped a sheen of sweat from her forehead. "Are you kidding me? That was terrifying! How the hell does Minako _do_ that?"

"Well, she has been in the business for awhile," Ami offered, smiling. "She must know some tricks."

"Maybe." Rei blinked, suddenly realizing that her closest friends were all there. "Um, so, thanks for coming to meet me. I wasn't expecting—"

"Rei-chan!" Usagi hugged her so hard that she toppled against Ami and knocked them all to the car floor, directly on top of Makoto.

"Guys! My legs! I need those to walk!"

"You can have your legs when Usagi gives me back my lungs," Rei wheezed.

"Ah! Sorry Rei-chan!" Usagi immediately loosened her hold.

"Ami-chan? You okay?" Makoto called.

"I'm fine. Thank God none of my colleagues saw that."

Rei sat up, fixing Minako's baseball cap. It had been knocked slightly askew when she'd landed. "What, afraid they'll see less than your dignified and proper self?" she teased.

"As hospital director, I do have an image to maintain—"

"Then why the hell d'you keep letting yourself be seen in public with the likes of us?" Makoto grinned and gave her a playful shove.

Ami adjusted her glasses, trying to keep her expression neutral. Then the tiniest of snickers escaped her. She started shaking with mirth before she was giggling helplessly. Soon they were all nearly hysterical with laughter.

Rei fought to catch her breath when she realized her phone was buzzing with a call. She checked the display.

_Minako_.

Hurriedly, she flipped it open.

~O~O~O~O~

Minako reclined on the bed in her Adelaide hotel room, rather anxious to know if Rei had safely navigated her way through the sea of journalists that were doubtlessly waiting to pounce when she landed. If someone had thought to take her name from her flight information to sell to the press, it was highly probable that someone would have spread the word as to what return flight Rei would be on.

If _only_ Rei would have accepted Minako's offer of a bodyguard—but Rei was worried that would just make her all the more conspicuous.

So Minako came up with an alternative plan.

The suggestion that Rei pretend to be a visiting Australian tourist was admittedly a bit of a longshot, but it had worked for the idol a few times in the past. Having spent a lot of time in England, she was quite fluent in the language, so it had been easy to convince the crowd of journalists that she didn't speak a word of Japanese, and her resemblance to this "Minako" person was just an amazing coincidence.

It was lucky that Rei spoke English fairly well herself. Minako had been shocked—and more than a bit turned on—by how well Rei imitated an Australian accent when the idol had prompted her to try. It was also lucky that they had not been in public at the time, given how Minako had reacted when she'd first heard it.

She checked her watch. Rei's plane should have landed ages ago. Unable to stand it any further, Minako whipped out her phone and hurriedly dialled.

Wild laughter greeted Minako when Rei picked up. Minako sighed with relief. Their friends were with her. She must have escaped the journalists then.

"Guys, keep it down—Minako's on the—"

"MINAKO-CHAN!"

Minako cringed as Usagi's ear-splitting yell assaulted her. She was tempted to check her phone for cracks.

"Well, Usagi, we can honestly say that scream was heard all the way in Australia," Makoto's voice said in the background, to more laughter. Minako joined in, giggling.

"I guess they found you all right, Reiko?"

"Yes, and if it had been a minute sooner, we'd still be at the airport surrounded by a mob, because _someone_ shouted my name next to a crowd of reporters—"

"I'm sorry, Rei-chan!" Usagi wailed.

Rei chuckled softly. "It's fine, Usagi. We got out in one piece." She began telling Minako of their daring escape from the airport, punctuated with occasional commentary from the others. Makoto even snatched the phone from Rei to give the idol a blow by blow account of her mad dash from the exit to the car door.

"Makoto, you did _not_ do a front hand spring through the open window while the car was moving," Rei's voice grumbled.

"Oh hush, you act as though you've never exaggerated anything in your life," Makoto shot back. "Besides—hey!"

There was a brief scuffling noise and more laughing.

"So when are you back again, Minako-chan?" Somehow Ami had won possession of the phone.

"Just under four weeks."

"Is there anything in particular you want to do when you get here?"

Minako bit back a giggle at Ami's innocent question. Any_one_ in particular would have been a far more appropriate phrase.

"Maybe a party. Nothing huge. You guys could come to our place."

"That would be nice—wait. '_Our_ place'?"

"Didn't Artemis tell y—"

An excited screech rang through Minako's phone. It was amazing, really, that Usagi hadn't destroyed her vocal chords—or her husband's eardrums.

"YOU'RE MOVING IN TOGETHER? REI-CHAN!"

Minako grinned at the incoherent babbling that broke out.

"Wow, congratulations!" Ami said breathlessly. "That's so wonderful—hey!—Mako-chan!"

"So when's the wedding?" Makoto demanded, reclaiming the phone. "I expect to be handling the flower arrangements, of course."

"I—er—" the idol's train of thought was momentarily derailed by Makoto's suggestion.

Wedding?

She felt her cheeks flush.

"Wow, Rei-chan, you're almost as red as that baseball cap!" Usagi laughed. "Look out, Mako-chan!"

"Augh! Mother of—okay! Okay! I yield! It's yours, Rei-chan! Man, she's not as weak as she looks—ow!" Makoto's yelping was followed by a loud thud.

Rei cleared her throat, sounding embarrassed. "Um, so you got to Adelaide all right then?"

"Rei-chan, you're sitting on my kidneys!" Makoto's voice groaned.

"Actually, Mako-chan, your kidneys are further down your torso—" Ami began as Minako snickered and answered Rei's question.

"Yes I did. What're you planning to do later?"

"Recover from my flight first, and then—then I guess I need to go to the Shrine and—pack."

"I wish I was there to help you, Reiko."

Rei snorted. "Oh, you do not. Physical labour terrifies you."

"Excuse me? No one knows more than you how much I like to get physical."

So that was what someone blushing profusely sounded like, Minako thought smugly, and waited for Rei to find her voice again.

"You—you know you're on speakerphone, right?" Rei finally said, her voice mortified.

"WHAT?" Minako felt the bottom drop of out of her stomach.

"Gotcha."

"REI! I can't believe you just—" The idol spluttered incoherently as Rei howled with laughter. "Hmph. Maybe I should go if you're going to be so mean."

"I'll make it up to you when you get back. Shut up, Mako-chan."

"Didn't say a word," Makoto said drily. There was the unmistakable noise of muffled giggling in the background.

Rei sighed. "We're actually just getting back to your place now, Minako, so maybe I should—"

"_Our_ place," the idol corrected, feeling excited butterflies in her stomach.

Rei made a pleased sound. "Right. Our place. Um—we'll talk more later?"

"Yeah. I want to hear it again, Rei."

There was a pause. "I—w-well—but—the others—"

Minako smirked. "You can say it in front of a crowd of strangers at the airport but not our dearest friends?"

"This is because of the speakerphone thing, isn't it?" There was a faint note of panic in Rei's tone.

"That, and I really do want to hear it again." Minako grinned, knowing she'd won.

"...I love you, Minako."

"Ooh-hoo, Rei-chan!"

"Aww, so cute!"

Rei's voice was low when she spoke. "You are evil, you know that?"

"Yes, I do! Y'know, if you want to shut them up, I snuck a jar of vegemite into your suitcase."

"I'm really tempted. But only if you're willing to pay my bail. I still say they'd press charges." Minako heard Rei stifle a yawn. And no wonder, Minako thought, glancing at the clock. She stifled a yawn of her own.

"I heard that, Minako. You should go to bed."

"Probably. I do have an early interview." She rubbed at her eyes, suddenly exhausted. "We'll talk again soon, love."

"Okay. I'll tell the koi pond hello for you when I go to the Shrine tomorrow."

They said a quick goodnight—the others hollered a farewell as Rei hung up—and Minako was soon fast asleep.

O~O~O~

**Author notes: **At long last, the return of everyone's favourite sentient plush cat! ...Unless Luna is your favourite. In which case, you will have to wait till next week to see her.

Thanks for the reads and reviews!


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

"Souvenirs? Rei-chan, you shouldn't have!" Usagi attempted to fasten the pink-coloured coral necklace without much luck. Ami, already wearing a blue one, quickly offered her assistance.

Makoto fiddled briefly with her own bright green band before putting it on.

"How come yours is orange, Rei-chan?" she teased, sitting on the bed next to Rei's open suitcase.

Rei blushed, shoving a pile of dirty clothes into the laundry hamper. "Because Minako stole the red one I got for myself. She says it looks better on her." Rei had been hard-pressed to argue when Minako had taken it to try on, given that the necklace was the only thing the idol had been wearing at the time.

She extracted the package that held the rugby jersey for her father and was surprised to find the toy koala Minako had been given underneath it.

"Did she repack my entire bag when I wasn't looking or something?" Rei asked, removing the item. "Hey, Artemis, Minako sent you a playmate."

The plush cat raised his head from the pillow he and Luna were relaxing on. "Huh. I'm surprised she didn't try to smuggle a live one."

Smirking, Rei put the koala on the pillow beside him. "I told her she wasn't allowed."

"You really think that would stop her? Did you just say no to koalas or no to animals of any kind?"

"Er—"

"You're lucky she's not going to Tasmania then, Rei-chan!" Luna grinned.

Rei shut her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose, suddenly feeling very tired. If Minako actually brought home a Tasmanian devil—

"You okay, Rei-chan?" Ami asked, picking up the koala to take a better look at it.

"Yeah. Just fine." Rei sighed and pulled one last item from her suitcase. "Have you guys ever tried vegemite?"

~O~O~O~O~

The others decided to stay and enjoy a late dinner of Chinese takeout with Rei, given that they were all rather hungry and the refrigerator was completely devoid of food. There were some strawberry popsicles in the freezer, but they would hardly suffice for a meal. Plus, Rei thought she might save them for Minako's return. They were both rather fond of the frozen treats.

They lounged around the living room in front of the TV, waiting for their order to arrive.

"I'm not sure anything but an open flame will kill the taste of this stuff." Makoto was on her fifth glass of water after trying the vegemite. "I can't decide if I should press charges or just off you myself."

Rei grinned, surreptitiously hitting the send button on her phone. Minako would probably laugh herself silly when she saw the photograph of their friends' expressions during the taste test.

"Sorry, Mako-chan. The devil made me do it."

Makoto scoffed. "Minako-chan did, you mean."

"Isn't that what I said?" Rei replied innocently. Ami nearly choked on the sip of water she had taken when she started to laugh. "Anyway, the plan backfired. I can't believe Usagi actually likes it!"

Usagi smiled proudly, patting Ami on the back to stop her coughing.

"I guess that means I get to take the rest home, Rei-chan?"

Rei nodded emphatically as the door buzzed.

Makoto cheered. "At last, hot and sour soup to wash this crud away!"

"That's kind of like an open flame," Rei couldn't resist adding. The place they had ordered from made their soup very spicy.

"Though a lot safer than lighting our mouths on fire," Ami said, wheezing slightly.

"Clearly you haven't tried Usagi's recipe."

"REI-CHAN!"

~O~O~O~O~

Rei collapsed gratefully into Minako's—_their_ bed after her friends departed, with the promise that they would come with her to the Shrine the next day and pack. She had readily agreed to their offer, even though she didn't have a whole lot to move. Clothing, books, and a few trinkets, several of which had been given by Minako, were all that filled her room at the Shrine. What furniture she possessed would be staying behind. Most of it belonged to the Shrine anyway.

Artemis had declined Usagi's offer to bring him home with her and Luna, deciding he wasn't ready to leave just yet, and dozed quietly next to Rei's head, using the koala plush as a pillow. Rei's conscience had been bothering her from the moment the small cat had welcomed her into the apartment.

"Hey, Artemis?"

"Mm? Yes, Mars?" His voice sounded as sleepy as Rei felt.

"You—you're really okay with this?"

He yawned loudly. "You moving in, you mean? Why wouldn't I be?"

"It's just—you and Minako have been inseparable for so long, and with everything happening so suddenly, it feels kind of like we're booting you out and—"

"Mars, she told you she was planning on asking you after this tour anyway, right? She spoke to me about it ages ago." He stretched out and rolled onto his side to look at Rei's worried face. "It's just happening a bit sooner than it would have originally. I'm assuming you would have said yes had events unfolded differently?"

Rei nodded. "Of course I would've. But you're best friends. I—I don't want to come between you—"

Artemis smiled kindly, and shook his head. "You never could. Besides, I may be her best friend, but you... you are her soul mate. And I could never come between that." He patted her blushing forehead with his paw. "Now sleep. It's very late and you have a busy day ahead of you."

"Okay, Artemis." Her eyes slid shut. "See you in the morning."

Minako's former guardian was already snoring softly.

~O~O~O~O~

It was nearly noon before Rei regained consciousness. As she sat up and stretched, it occurred to her that she had no clean clothes with her. Everything was in the laundry basket. She glanced at Minako's sizeable closet. Rei grinned. They'd be sharing it soon enough. Although, knowing Minako, some of Rei's clothing was probably already there. The idol was forever showing up to the Shrine in the middle of the night, but never brought a change of clothes with her. Nor did she ever remember to return any of the things she ended up borrowing. Or—Rei spotted a blouse of hers that had been missing for several months—perhaps Minako had been hinting that she wanted Rei and the rest of her clothing to follow.

She found a pair of her jeans in the dresser and ducked into the bathroom for a quick shower. She was anxious to get to the Shrine and start packing, and more than a little nervous about speaking with the shrine leader to thank him for letting her keep her duties, and apologize for all the trouble.

Rei shut off the water, faintly amazed by all the fuss one kiss had caused. She didn't regret it in the slightest.

After towelling off and dressing, Rei heard the distant buzzing of her cell phone from the living room. She dashed out to grab it and glanced at the display before answering.

"Hey, you. Sleep all right?"

There was laughter on the other end. "Not as well as you, apparently. I've been trying to reach you all morning."

"Sorry, Mina. I was exhausted. The others stayed late and we ordered takeout. Running from reporters worked up an appetite, I guess. How was your interview?"

"Oh, the usual. 'Tell us more about your relationship,' 'Why do you keep trying to talk about your tour? We don't care about that! We just want to know about your woman!' It's quite possible that you're more famous than I am right now, Reiko."

Rei laughed at the jealousy in Minako's voice. "I highly doubt that. 'Your woman', eh?"

"Oh, shush. Those were their words, not mine—accurate though they are. Also, I loved that photo you sent. I knew you'd make them try the vegemite. Are you going to the Shrine soon?"

"After I eat something. Would leftover Chinese do for breakfast, y'think?"

"Go get some real food," Minako said sternly.

"I-I'm sorry, are you _my_ Minako?" Rei joked. She had long ago lost track of how often she issued similar instructions to the busy idol.

"Reiko, you _know_ I'm yours." Rei felt a huge smile appear on her face. "Dammit. I have to go. Shacho is beckoning."

"Okay, love. We'll talk later?"

"You have to ask?"

They said goodbye and Rei went to finish getting ready to head out to the Shrine. She was so nervous, she wondered if she'd even be able to eat anything at all.

"Mars! You're awake!" Artemis poked his head out of the kitchen. "I hope you don't mind—Jupiter knew there was nothing here and that you'd need something to eat when you got up, so I let her in to make you some breakfast. She'd have stayed longer, but she had to get back to her shop."

"Are you ever going to stop calling us by our Senshi names, Artemis?" Rei's stomach growled loudly at the mention of Makoto's cooking.

"When it stops annoying you, I will." Artemis pushed a covered plate towards her. Whatever it was, it smelled fantastic. "You'll want to heat that up, probably."

"I don't know what it is with you and Minako and the giving of nicknames." Rei slid the plate into the oven and turned it on. "I still wonder where 'Reiko' came from."

Artemis looked surprised. "She's never told you?"

Rei shook her head. "Never asked. I always figured it was something from our past lives though."

"Well, you're quite right about that, actually. Venus once asked Mars if she ever had any nicknames as a child. Mars had several older brothers who liked to tease her. They called her Reiko because she was the youngest, and the only girl. Rei-ko." Artemis smirked. "Perhaps Mars should have thought twice before telling Venus how much the name annoyed her."

"If Venus was anything like Minako, I'm sure she'd have found out somehow." Rei felt a faint pang of loss at hearing the story. She was suddenly a bit jealous of her past self, thinking she would have liked having a brother or two, whether they teased her or not. Perhaps then she wouldn't have been so lonely as a child.

But then, perhaps she wouldn't have cherished her friends the way she did—her friends, who were like sisters to her.

Rei smiled as the jealousy faded away. She hadn't been lonely for a long time.

The scent of breakfast slowly filled the kitchen, making her stomach growl again in anticipation.

"Ahh, that smells lovely," Artemis commented, inhaling appreciatively. "It's probably safe enough to eat now."

Rei grabbed an oven mitt and pulled out the dish. "So long as there's no vegemite in it."

"No, just arsenic." The cat smiled sweetly.

"Oh, is that why Mako-chan's cooking is to die for?"

Artemis groaned at the terrible joke while Rei laughed and took her breakfast to enjoy on the terrace.

She needed to get used to the incredible view.

~O~O~O~O~

Hikawa Shrine's head elder was delighted to welcome Rei back from her trip. He had been at the shrine when she had been delivered to them as a small child so many years ago, and was quite sorry to see her moving out. He and Hikawa's other elders gathered in his office when Rei had arrived requesting a meeting.

"I just wanted to apologize for the trouble I've caused, Toshihiro-Sensei—and—and thank you for letting me keep my shrine duties. I—was worried that—the—um, nature of m-my relationship—" Rei tried desperately not to blush as she spoke. "I-I mean—what I mean is—"

"You feared we would expel you for it?" The leader of the elders shook his head. "Love is hardly a crime, Rei. As a matter of fact, I was quite pleased for you when I first learned of it, but I do understand why you felt the need to keep things quiet."

So the elders had been playing dumb since the broadcast after all. Rei's cheeks flooded with warmth.

"Y-you saw the news from, um, before, then?"

"Actually—" The Sensei's eyes darted to one of the younger members of the group, who reddened. "Some of us have known for quite a bit longer than that, Rei. I trust that Miss Aino's leg has healed sufficiently, thanks to your care?" His eyes twinkled with merriment.

Rei hadn't thought her face could possibly become any warmer. He had known for _that _long? She'd had no idea.

"I'm so pleased you want to stay here to work, Rei," he went on, mercifully distracting her from her embarrassment. "We would never be able to replace you. You're a brilliant young woman—hard-working, very intelligent. You've given so much to this Shrine—I could never ask you to leave completely. If not for your own and the Shrine's safety, it would never even have come into question." The other elders nodded their agreement, smiling benignly.

Rei was greatly moved by her Sensei's words. For much of her life, he had been the closest thing she'd had to a family. The Hikawa priests had been the first to encourage, rather than shun, her psychic abilities, teaching her to hone them as best as they could. None of them had any idea that those lessons ended up helping to save the world more than once.

The Shrine leader had watched her grow from a grieving, angry child into someone nearly unrecognizeable—save for her stubbornness, perhaps. He had been heard to remark when Rei was a teenager that her stubborn nature was just another gift she was born with, especially since no amount of discouraging seemed able to halt it.

She was going to miss seeing him every day.

"I—I thought there were rules, though—th-that—"

The half-formed question was waved away. "Rules are made to be broken, Rei. Surely you've lived here long enough to know that." The older man grinned. Rei grinned back. She would never be the prankster that Minako was, but she had learned her share of tricks from the older man through the years.

"Now, about your duties. Given the circumstances, some of them will be changing—"

Rei listened as he continued speaking. She would have more administration and paperwork to attend to than before, as well as being permanently in charge of event-planning for festivals, neither of which she minded doing. She would also be given as much time as she needed to meditate by the sacred fire. Visitors to the shrine would certainly be looking for her now and she appreciated the opportunity to keep out of the public eye as much as she could.

"Also, please be sure and thank your father for implementing the extra security measures he's provided. Things would have become very chaotic here otherwise." The elders shuddered collectively.

"I will, Sensei. And thank you. For—for everything." Rei's eyes began to well up, despite her best efforts. "You've always been so wonderful to me—I can't even begin to express my gratitude—" She swiped at her cheeks as the tears began to spill over. "Thank you." She took a tissue from the box that was pushed towards her and dabbed at her eyes.

"Is there anything else that we can help you with, Rei?"

Rei shook her head. "You've already been more than generous. But, if you don't mind, Sensei, I'd really like to start packing my things."

"Very well. You are always welcome here, Hino Rei. Never forget that."

Then to Rei's very great surprise, the Shrine leader stood and came around the desk to give her a hug.

~O~O~O~O~

Rei sat cross-legged in the middle of her old room, committing its appearance to her memory before she started packing. The elders had been kind enough to gather a few boxes for her after they had spoken with Makoto the previous week. Rei just hoped they would be enough. Her bookshelves suddenly seemed fuller than she remembered, and her closet too. At least Makoto was bringing Motoki's car. That would be a huge help.

Every corner reminded her of something. She turned her gaze to her window, half-expecting to see Minako pop into view and invite her out for some wild adventure, or onto the roof for some stargazing.

Rei smiled to herself. Perhaps on occasion she and Minako could still visit the Shrine rooftop and watch Venus herald in the sunrise.

There was a knock on her door. She turned her head towards the sound.

"Rei-chan?" Usagi slid it open and poked her head in. Makoto and Ami were right behind her. "Artemis told us you were here. Are—are you ready to start?"

She swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yeah. I'm ready."

~O~O~O~O~

Although she had been moved and unpacked for well over a week, Rei still spent a great deal of time at the Shrine, even when she wasn't working. The apartment felt too empty without Minako there, especially since Artemis had decided to take his leave and moved in with Usagi and Mamoru. Surprisingly, he'd had a few things to pack before leaving—a few photographs he was rather fond of, as well as a favoured pillow from Minako's couch that he was accustomed to. His move was physically much easier than Rei's, but no less difficult emotionally. From the sound of it though, he was beginning to settle nicely into his new home. He and Luna stopped by regularly for visits when Rei was at the apartment, which she gladly welcomed.

She had discovered that it was quite easy to avoid attention from photographers and Minako's fans if she kept her head down when she was out, and had already made a habit of wearing a baseball cap whenever she went. Thankfully, Minako had plenty of them to choose from. As much as she liked the Sydney hat, she had learned her lesson after the near disaster at the bookstore weeks before, and never put it on. Perhaps that was partly why Minako had so many clothes—aside from the obvious fact that she also just liked to shop.

As per her promise to Minako, Rei frequently visited the koi pond to say hello to the fish. The one that liked to dance was usually found to be swimming around almost dispiritedly, as if he too missed the idol.

"She'll be home soon," Rei murmured one afternoon when she spotted the mottled orange koi circling slowly around. She had felt like taking a bike ride to the Shrine, and had made a quick stop at a pet food store on the way. No one recognized her there either, thankfully. Kneeling, she sprinkled some of the fish treats she had brought into the water.

"Rei?"

She nearly dropped the small container she held into the pond as she whipped her head around. Rei stood quickly, doing a double-take as she did.

"P-Papa?"

Senator Hino was nearly unrecognizable in the casual clothing he wore, including—Rei was stunned to see—the rugby jersey she had bought for him in Australia. She'd had it sent to him with her thanks for the airline ticket after getting settled into her new home. She had been unsure when he would next be available to meet with her, given his busy schedule, but wanted to get it to him right away because she was so grateful for his gift.

"I was told I would probably find you by the koi pond. I hear you've moved out of the Shrine?"

Rei nodded. "After everything that's happened, they were worried for my safety if I stayed. It's—different, but I'm getting used to it. What're you doing here, Papa?"

He tugged at his collar, looking oddly nervous. "I—I've cancelled my appointments for the afternoon. I was hoping that we, uh, might have lunch someplace. What do you think? ...Rei?"

Rei shook herself from her sudden daze. She knew her eyes must be wide. "You—you really—cleared your schedule so you c-could see me?" Her voice sounded rather small in its amazement. She could hardly believe what she'd just heard.

"Perhaps you could tell me about your trip. I understand if you're busy—"

Rei felt a tiny smile appear on her face. She would have to omit a number of details from her visit with Minako, but—

"Did you have any particular place in mind, Papa?"

The Senator wore a smile of his own as he and Rei left the Shrine together.

~O~O~O~O~

Minako could hear the screaming of countless fans already as she approached the arrivals gate. Her bodyguards flanked her as she walked, and Shacho chattered away on his phone, negotiating an interview with a high-profile journalist. She'd been bombarded with ever more requests from numerous magazines and networks for the last several weeks. There was no way she'd ever be able to talk to everyone—not if she planned on having any free time ever again—and so had suggested her idea of doing an exclusive to Shacho. Her manager had thought the idea was nothing short of brilliant and immediately went about setting it up.

The Adelaide show had been a phenomenal success. Minako very nearly lost track of how many encores she had performed at the concert, and it was almost two days before her ears stopped ringing with the echoing cheers and applause of those in attendance. It certainly made the post-concert interview she'd had interesting. She'd hardly been able to tell what the reporter was asking her.

Questions about her relationship with Rei, no doubt.

_Rei._

Rei would be waiting for her at home. A pleasurable shiver travelled up her spine at the thought of their reunion. Minako grinned. When they'd spoken the night before, she'd told Rei that the airport crowd would probably be bordering on insanity when she got back, and knowing how Rei felt about being in the spotlight, said that she didn't have to meet her when she returned. Rei had assured the idol that she would receive a proper welcome. Minako shivered again.

She stepped through the gate and began waving to her fans. The screaming tripled in volume when she appeared. A number of barricades had been set up to keep the hordes of people from swarming her. Minako debated stopping to sign a few autographs, but she might never get away if she did. She _needed_ to see Rei.

"MINAKO-CHAN!"

Her head swivelled towards the familiar voice. She knew only one person who could make themselves heard over such an ear-splitting din. "U-Usagi?" She felt her jaw drop when she spotted her driver standing inside the barricade, accompanied by Usagi, Ami, Makoto—and _Rei_.

Minako's heart began pounding at the sight of Rei's smile.

"Ah, good," Shacho said, leaning close so she could hear him. "They made it through all right. You should go say hello." He nudged Minako, who hadn't realized that she was frozen with surprise, and she broke into a run towards the small group. She was glad now that she had opted to wear her sneakers on the flight. Besides, heels would have looked rather odd with the rugby jersey she had on.

Minako practically leapt at Rei when they drew closer, hugging her with such force that they spun around on the spot. "Reiko!"

Rei's arms held onto her with a nearly bone-crushing strength. "Mina." Her mouth was at Minako's ear, speaking as quietly as the deafening noise around them allowed. "The, uh, others heard you were getting back today and decided I should come along—"

"Don't listen to her lies, Minako-chan!" Makoto hollered. "This was all Rei-chan's idea!"

Rei went pink and made a face at their friends before turning back to Minako. "Did you, uh, still want to go for ice cream?"

"In a minute." Minako cupped Rei's cheeks and leaned forward to kiss her. "This is the good part."

o~o~o~o

**Author notes:** Next week, the Epilogue! Thanks all for sticking with this story! Your kind words have been nothing short of delightful! I feel like there was some other comment I was gonna stick here... think I can remember it? Nooo!


	11. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

After the idol's exclusive interview aired several weeks later, some of the excitement surrounding her relationship finally began to die down, much to the relief of both Minako and Rei. It helped that a prominent male movie star was also in the middle of a very public divorce and the couple was no longer on the front page of every magazine in the country. Still, they kept a low profile when they went out together, but they were far less worried about being mobbed by reporters than they had been before. The odd photograph of the couple would occasionally appear, but that was to be expected. Rei wasn't sure she would ever be completely used to it, but she'd told Minako that she could handle anything the universe threw at them as long as they were together.

Sighing happily, Rei changed out of her priestess robes and got ready to head over to the apartment. It was quite busy at Hikawa most days, so she always had plenty to do, especially with her changed responsibilities. A few of the Shrine's younger employees tended to stammer and blush when she spoke to them, something which Minako delighted in teasing her about. Rei didn't mind. It was easy enough to shut Minako up with a kiss.

She grinned, suddenly quite eager to get back, figuring that Minako would also be done work for the day, but Rei decided on a whim to pay a visit to the koi pond first. It had been awhile since she'd had a chance to see the colourful fish, and the Shrine was calm enough that she could probably reach the secluded pond without anyone stopping her.

As she approached, she hesitated suddenly. Someone was already there. She smiled when she heard a familiar giggle.

Rei edged closer, keeping quiet as the pond and its beautiful visitor came into view. She leaned against a nearby tree, simply watching her lover kneeling at the pond's edge and waving her hand over the water. One fish in particular was circling rapidly beneath the movement. Rei chuckled softly, making Minako gasp.

"Looks like someone's happy to see you."

"Rei!" Minako's eyes lit up when she saw her. She got to her feet. "How do you _do_ that?"

Rei strode forward and pulled her close. "I learned from the best." She kissed Minako's cheek, leading her to the nearby bench. One arm still clutched the idol's waist as they sat. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

"Since when do I do what's expected of me, Reiko?"

Rei snickered. "You make a fair point. How did the autograph session go?"

"The turnout was pretty spectacular. Usagi says hi, by the way. I love that she still comes to all of my events, even though she can just call me up anytime she wants to hang out." Minako leaned into Rei's embrace, taking hold of her free hand and weaving their fingers together. "Any word from the Senator about dinner tomorrow night?"

Rei nodded, smirking at how Minako referred to her father. "He called earlier. I think he's looking forward to meeting you. And getting your signature, finally."

"The other Senators will be so jealous."

They both started laughing. Eventually, Minako released Rei's hand and reached up to stroke her lover's cheek. Rei closed her eyes, basking in the sensation of the gentle touch.

"Reiko?"

"Mm?"

"I want to hear it again."

Rei opened her eyes. Minako's intense gaze was inches away.

"I love you, Minako," Rei whispered.

Minako's hand wrapped around the back of Rei's neck and brought their lips together in a kiss so mind-blowing, Rei was very glad that that she was already sitting down—her knees would surely have given out.

They might have stayed like that for days, completely lost in each other, but for the sudden harsh call of a raven startling them apart.

Rei couldn't help chuckling quietly as their passionate embrace came to an abrupt end.

"What's so funny, Reiko?" The idol cast an annoyed look in the direction the noise had come from.

"Nothing, Mina." Rei kissed Minako softly and pulled her to her feet. "Let's go home."

~o~**E**~**N**~**D**~o~

**Author notes:** So, we have reached the end of this tale! Thank you all so much for reading it and sharing your kind reviews with me! I hope it pleases you to hear that there will be a new story posted next week! ...Especially given how very short this update was. Gomen.

Thanks again!

PS - For those of you who would like to know why Rei is so amused, feel free to read _Astronomy Lessons at Hikawa Shrine._ That's right. I'm still using my own stories to plug my own stories, even at the very end.


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